Obituaries
Please alert us to the recent death of any other Rhodes Scholar by emailing communications@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk.
We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Derek Hum.
Born in 1944 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Derek spent part of his early childhood in China before growing up in Campbellton, New Brunswick. He attended Mount Allison University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Mathematics in 1967. Awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1967, he went on to Exeter College, Oxford, completing a Master of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics in 1969.
Following his time at Oxford, Derek pursued doctoral studies at the University of Toronto, completing his PhD in 1972. He built a distinguished academic career as a professor of Economics at the University of Manitoba, where he became a leading authority on social policy, labour market issues affecting immigrants, and guaranteed annual income programs, including the landmark Manitoba Mincome experiment. Over the course of his career, Derek authored seven books and more than 100 articles and essays, and was recognized with the Rh Institute Award for outstanding contributions to scholarship in the social sciences.
Derek was also widely admired for his warmth, wit, and gift for storytelling. A skilled public speaker, he was a familiar and beloved presence as emcee at community events, including Chinese New Year banquets and the Chinese Pavilion at Winnipeg’s Folklorama. He is remembered for his enduring contributions to academic life and his commitment to his community.
Read full obituary here.
We were saddened to learn of the passing of Robert Davis McCallum.
A distinguished American lawyer and public servant, he was born in 1945 and educated at the Choate School. Robert went to Yale University for his undergraduate education, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and combined academic distinction with notable athletic achievement.
As a Rhodes Scholar, Robert went up to Christ Church, Oxford, where he read Jurisprudence and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts with First Class honours in 1971. He later returned to Yale to complete his Juris Doctor, setting the foundation for a formidable legal career.
Robert spent nearly three decades as a partner at Alston & Bird in Atlanta, specialising in appellate advocacy and commercial litigation, and earning a reputation for intellectual rigour, tenacity, and generosity as a mentor. In 2001, he entered public service as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, later serving as Associate Attorney General and Acting Deputy Attorney General. In 2006, he was appointed United States Ambassador to Australia, where he strengthened bilateral ties across diplomatic, military, and economic spheres.
Throughout his life, Robert remained committed to education, civic engagement, and sport, contributing to numerous boards and community initiatives while sustaining a lifelong passion for tennis and athletics. He approached his achievements with characteristic humility, valuing above all his family life and enduring partnerships, and he will be missed dearly by all who knew him.
Read full obituary here.
We were saddened to learn of the passing of Roderick George Rainford, who was born in 1940 in Kingston, Jamaica.
Educated at Kingston Technical School and the University of the West Indies, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in 1963, Roderick went up to Merton College as a Rhodes Scholar to read jurisprudence, taking a second-class degree in 1965, and later completed a Diploma in Economics at Linacre College. His early academic career included service as a Research Tutor in the Extra-Mural Department at the University of Zambia, followed by graduate study in international relations at the University of Toronto.
Roderick’s career combined scholarship with public service. Returning to Jamaica, he worked in the Ministry of Trade and Industry before moving to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), where he served as Deputy Director and then Secretary-General from 1983 to 1992. His tenure was marked by steady leadership during a period of political and economic strain in the region, as he guided efforts toward deeper regional integration and cooperation. He later served briefly as Governor of the Bank of Jamaica from 1992 to 1993, bringing his expertise in economics and policy to bear on national financial stewardship.
Throughout his life, Roderick was committed to the advancement of Caribbean unity, contributing to initiatives such as the development of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy and fostering frameworks for regional collaboration. His service was recognised with numerous honours, including the Cacique Crown of Honour and the Order of Jamaica, as well as an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of the West Indies. Remembered for his integrity, diplomacy, and thoughtful leadership, he leaves a lasting legacy in the institutions and ideals of regional cooperation he helped to shape.
Read full obituary here.
We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of John Horton Morrison, who passed away peacefully at the age of 92.
Born in 1933 in St Paul, Minnesota, John was educated at Sheboygan North High School before attending the University of New Mexico, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration. He went up to University College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar, reading Jurisprudence and taking a second-class degree in 1957 and later proceeding to a Master of Arts. He continued his legal studies at Harvard Law School, receiving his Juris Doctor in 1962.
Following his studies, John served in the United States Navy and Naval Reserve, attaining the rank of Lieutenant. He embarked on a distinguished legal career with Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago, joining as an associate in 1962 and becoming a partner in 1968. Deeply engaged in the legal profession, he held leadership roles in the Illinois State Bar Association, the American Bar Association—where he chaired the Antitrust Law Section—and the International Bar Association, contributing significantly to legal education and professional development.
John’s lifelong commitment to the Rhodes community was profound. He served on Rhodes Scholarship selection committees from 1966 and was a director of the Association of American Rhodes Scholars. His enduring enthusiasm for Oxford traditions, notably his decades-long stewardship of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race dinner in Chicago, reflected both his devotion to the Scholarship and his gift for bringing people together. In retirement, he remained active, sustained by friendships across the world and a continued dedication to service, leaving a legacy of leadership, generosity, and connection.
His wife, Barbara, shared with the Trust: "John’s love of everything and everyone involved with Oxford, Cambridge, and the Rhodes Scholarships ran deep. His 50 years chairing and hosting the Oxford Cambridge Boat Race dinner in Chicago was a yearly highlight, and the Bon Voyage Weekend in Washington was among his favourite events. John’s final trip to Oxford in 2023 for the 120th Anniversary was beyond meaningful and he came home with tales of many wonderful conversations. Our family will be forever grateful for the incredible impact Oxford and the Rhodes Scholarship had on John’s life—the people he met and cherished as well as the mentorship and leadership roles he enjoyed—and the interesting people we came to know through him."
Read John's Oral History interview with the Rhodes Trust here.
Read full obituary here.
We were saddened to learn of the death of Merle Steven McClung.
Born in 1943 in Clara City, Minnesota, Merle was educated at Montevideo Central High School before winning a scholarship to Harvard University, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts in 1965. He went on to Trinity College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar, reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics and graduating with second class honours in 1967. A gifted sportsman, he represented Oxford in basketball against Cambridge in 1966 and 1967, a lifelong passion that remained central to him.
After Oxford, Merle returned to Harvard Law School, completing his legal studies in 1970. During a period of profound social unrest in the United States, he taught English and social studies at Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama, an experience he later described as among the most formative of his life. He subsequently established a distinguished legal career in Denver, serving as general counsel to two Colorado private corporations before focusing on education law, where he combined professional accomplishment with a strong sense of civic responsibility.
An independent thinker, Merle brought intellectual curiosity to all aspects of his life, amassing a remarkable collection of more than 10,000 books and writing extensively on law and public affairs. He founded the nonprofit Make Our Democracy Work Enterprises and advanced “The Civic Standard” in public education, reflecting his enduring concern for democratic institutions.
We were saddened to learn of the passing of Thomas de Koninck, who died on 16 February 2026 in Québec at the age of 91.
A distinguished Canadian philosopher whose reflections on human dignity and ultimate questions shaped both academic and public discourse, Thomas was born in 1934 in Leuven, Belgium. He pursued an exceptional education that included a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, alongside studies at Université Laval and the Freie Universität Berlin, laying the foundation for a lifetime devoted to philosophical inquiry.
Thomas began his academic career at the University of Notre Dame before returning to Québec in 1964 to join Université Laval, where he remained for more than fifty years. As a revered professor and later Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy from 1974 to 1978, he played a central role in cultivating philosophical scholarship and mentoring generations of students, leaving a lasting imprint on the intellectual life of the institution.
Renowned for his writings on human dignity, Greek philosophy, and education, Thomas achieved international recognition, notably receiving the Prix La Bruyère from the Académie française for De la dignité humaine and the Canadian Philosophical Association’s prize for Questions ultimes. He was elected a Member of the Royal Society of Canada and appointed to the Order of Canada, reflecting a career marked by intellectual depth, public engagement, and a steadfast commitment to the enduring value of philosophical thought.
We were saddened to learn of the death of Helen Leach at the age of 80.
Born in 1945 in Wellington, Helen was educated in Dunedin, New Zealand, before completing a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Otago, where she trained initially as an archaeologist. Her time as a Rhodes Visiting Fellow at St Hilda’s College in Oxford in 1980 enriched an already wide-ranging scholarly outlook that would shape a remarkable academic career.
Helen joined the staff of the University of Otago in 1972 and was appointed to a chair in anthropology in 2002. Her scholarship transformed the study of food anthropology in New Zealand, spanning prehistoric horticulture, the evolution of human diets, and the social history of cooking, recipes, and kitchens in the twentieth century. She was especially renowned for her unparalleled collection of cookery books, notably community cookbooks, which became an invaluable resource for fellow researchers.
Following her retirement in 2008, Helen was named professor emerita of the University of Otago. Her contributions were recognised through election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 2004 and appointment as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 for services to culinary anthropology. Through her publications, teaching, and generosity as a scholar, Helen leaves a lasting legacy in the understanding of food, culture, and history.
We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Geoffrey Miller.
Born in 1934 in Queenstown, Tasmania, Geoff was educated at the University of Tasmania before being awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford, an experience that helped shape a lifetime of public service and intellectual engagement.
Geoff’s career as an Australian diplomat and senior public servant spanned more than four decades. Joining the Department of External Affairs during a formative period in Australia’s engagement with Asia, he served in postings including Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, New York with the United Nations, New Delhi, Seoul, Tokyo, and Wellington. He later became Director-General of the Office of National Assessments, Australia’s central intelligence analysis agency, where his tenure encompassed major global events from the end of the Cold War to the first Gulf War. In recognition of his service to public life and international relations, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.
Following retirement from government service, Geoff emerged as a leading public intellectual on Australia’s international policy, writing and speaking widely for more than 25 years. He played a prominent role in the Australian Institute of International Affairs and was a prolific contributor to public debate, particularly on Australia’s relations with Asia and the strategic challenges posed by United States–China rivalry. Throughout his writing and commentary, Geoff brought clarity, independence of mind, and a steadfast commitment to Australia’s long-term place in a changing world.
Read full obituary here.
We were saddened to learn of the death of Frank Goodman.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Frank pursued an exceptional course of study, earning degrees at Harvard University and Harvard Law School before continuing his education at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.
After Oxford, Frank embarked on an academic career that would span more than four decades at the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as an esteemed professor of law. He was known for his profound reverence for the law, his intellectual rigor, and his generosity as a teacher, often remaining long after class to debate legal ideas with students and colleagues alike.
Frank took immense pride in his scholarship and teaching, but he found his greatest joy in his family. He is survived by his wife and children, and will be remembered for the warmth, curiosity, and dedication that defined both his professional life and his life beyond the academy.
Read full obituary here.