Merlin Bellamy Brinkerhoff

Merlin Bellamy Brinkerhoff, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on Thursday, July 2, 2020, after a battle with dementia. He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 59 years, Gloria; two daughters, Tanya (Curtis) and Celia (David); and four grandchildren, Felix, Zenna, Ana and Sam; his siblings, Loretta (Derald), Judy (Bruce), David (Lynn) and Irma. Merlin was born on November 10, l939 in Lovell, Wyoming. He served on a mission in Brazil for the LDS Church and upon his return, he and Gloria were married. He attended Brigham Young University and graduated with BA and MA degrees in Sociology. The family then moved to Seattle where Merlin enrolled at the University of Washington and earned his Ph.D. in Sociology. They returned to BYU for one year and then Merlin accepted a Post-Doctorate position at McAllister College in Minnesota. In l970, Merlin joined the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Calgary, serving in the positions of Department Head, Assistant Dean of Social Sciences, and Associate Vice President of Research. He spent sabbatical leaves conducting research in Mexico, several countries in South America, and the Philippines. When he retired in l997, he was asked to be a part of the International Center and help with its development; this was the beginning of extensive travel to oversee CIDA funded projects in several countries in Asia and Latin America. Merlin loved the academic scene where he enjoyed his colleagues and the students, and especially teaching, research, and writing. He was very proud of the U of C and his part within it, serving on the U of C Senate, involved in the Latin American Studies Program and joining the board of directors for the Canadian Research Institute for Law and Family. He volunteered for the Organization of American States as an election observer on missions to Suriname, Guyana, and Nicaragua. After retirement, he joined the Calgary Horticulture Society and enjoyed the volunteering and the friends he made. He served on their board of directors for 6 years.

Merlin grew up in the mountains of Wyoming where fishing, camping, and hiking were a big part of his life. When the family moved to Calgary, cross country skiing was added to his favourites. He was a devoted husband and father. His family was a deep source of pride for him. He was an avid reader, faithful CBC and PBS follower, and political discussions were of great interest to him. The friendships made on Baines Road became their Canadian family. He was very interested in people and wanted to know where they were from and what their stories were. He was a generous and caring person who would help anyone in need. He spearheaded the building of a log cabin in Montana which became the center of their family life in the summers and where he made many dear friends.