Former Sask. lieutenant-governor dies at age 85

Former Saskatchewan lieutenant-governor Sylvia Fedoruk is seen in this photo from Wikipedia.org.

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.