Tuesday, January 08, 2013



Many who read or look at my blog might not understand that as a photographer in Vancouver since 1975 I have never really specialized in any one particular field of photography. I have photographed plants and architecture, but really, mostly people. Former Vancouver Sun editor, columnist and writer, Max Wyman once introduced me as the man who photographed the rich and the famous. But I have photographed many who are neither. I have photographed the glamorous, draped and undraped and I must admit at least two weddings (one was Joey Shithead's the other Susan Musgrave's wedding at at BC  maximum security prison). I have even photographed most of my cats, my daughters and my two granddaughters. Few might suspect that I worked for many a business magazine and that I photographed Wendy B. McDonald (aka the Ballbearing Lady) at least three times. The pictures below are from the late 70s and mid 80s. Increasingly the many pictures in my files should have R.I.P written somewhere. I remember that McDonald was most pleasant and that she always posed with a dog.





Obituary from the Vancouver Province, January 6, 2013

McDONALD, Wendy Burdon
CM OBC LL.D. (Hon.) D.Tech. (Hon.)

Wendy B. McDonald (nee Stoker) born June 13, 1922, peacefully passed away December 30, 2012. From her childhood days growing up and working on the family farm in North Vancouver, B.C. to her days as a leading business woman, philanthropist and community leader, Wendy displayed her value of hard work while enchanting everyone she met with her sense of adventure, caring attitude and exuberant love of life.

One of her greatest joys was her family. Married and widowed three times, Wendy had 10 children and was known as Tutu to 27 grandchildren and as Nui Tutu to 36 great-grandchildren. Wendy served over 60 years as a leader in her family-owned international industrial distribution company, BC Bearing Engineers Limited, and later as BCB Corporate Services Ltd. for Norcan Fluid Power Ltd & BC Bearing Chile SA. Under her leadership, BC Bearing was recognized with a number of awards, including Power Transmission Distributor of the Year, twice as one of the Top 50 Best-Managed Private Companies in Canada, and Canadian Association of Family Enterprise's Jaguar Achievement Award.




The Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals were presented to her in commemoration of Her Majesty's accession to the throne and in recognition of Wendy McDonald's contributions to Canada. She was appointed a member of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of British Columbia. She received the Veuve Cliquot Award of Distinction as Canadian Business Woman of the Year, a YWCA Women of Distinction award, the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Award, and was inducted into Sales and Marketing Executives International's Academy of Achievement Hall of Fame. In her devotion to the community, she served as a trustee for the Schenley Awards, University Hospital at UBC, the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame and as a director of the B.C. Paraplegic Foundation, and the CH.I.L.D. Foundation. She served as President of Bearing Specialists Association, Chair of Pacific Corridor Enterprise Council, as Chair and, later, Governor for the Vancouver Board of Trade, Chair of the Canadian Council of the Americas (B.C. Chapter), as Governor with B.C Institute of Technology, and as a Director with Sandwell Inc., Zurich Canada, Canada West Foundation among others. Between all of her family, business and community commitments, she enjoyed swimming, gardening, fishing, golf, and tennis, often at her cherished summer home in Halfmoon Bay, B.C. Her passion for soccer was huge. Having been part of the ownership team of the original NASL Vancouver Whitecaps, she continued to be a proud supporter of Vancouver soccer up to its current MLS team.

She received an Honorary Doctorate in Technology from B.C. Institute of Technology and an Honorary Doctorate in Law from Simon Fraser University. When conferring the Degree on Wendy, the Chancellor at Simon Fraser University noted "in a world where so often profit seems the sole measure of a company's worth, Wendy McDonald has proven that, even in an exceptionally competitive business, loyalty to employees and personal integrity can be and are rewarded with success, the love of her family, the respect of peers, and with the affection of community."