Sylvia Fedoruk, Saskatchewan’s first female lieutenant-governor, has died at age 85.
Born in Canora, Fedoruk served as the province’s 17th lieutenant-governor from 1988 to 1994.
She was also the first female chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan – a position she held from 1986 to 1989.
As a professor of oncology and associate member in physics at the university, Fedoruk helped develop the world’s first Cobalt 60 cancer therapy unit.
In a statement Thursday, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said Fedoruk was a medical pioneer and remarkable representative of the province.
"Sylvia Fedoruk was the embodiment of Saskatchewan innovation and spirit and an inspiration to all she met," Wall said.
Current Saskatchewan Lt.-Gov. Vaughn Schofield also offered condolences on the passing of Fedoruk. In a statement, Schofield called Fedoruk an extraordinary individual.
Paraphrasing a quote from Rudyard Kipling, Schofield said, "although she walked with kings, she never lost the common touch."
University of Saskatchewan president Ilene Busch-Vishniac says Fedoruk embodied what it meant to be a member of the institution.
“She was a renowned innovator, a proud alumna, a community leader in every sense of the term, and a tireless booster of the University of Saskatchewan,” Busch-Vishniac said in a statement.
Following her career in nuclear medicine and education, Fedoruk received numerous awards, including the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, the Order of Canada and the Distinguished Canadian Award.
