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´şÉ«Ö±˛Ą is saddened by the death of Professor Emeritus, History, Dr. Anthony W. Rasporich who passed away in Calgary, AB on Aug. 9, 2025, at the age of 85.

Rasporich had a successful career as an educator, university administrator, journal editor, and author and editor of numerous monographs. He joined the UCalgary Department of History in 1966 and went on to serve as the History Department head from 1973 to 1976. Rasporich was then appointed to leadership positions within the Faculty of Social Science, serving as Associate Dean from 1976 to 1981 and Dean from 1986 to 1994.

Anthony Rasporich was born in 1940 in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay), Ontario. He attended St. Andrew’s School and Port Arthur Collegiate Institute, excelling in both academics and athletics. He worked summers at a paper mill with his father and earned scholarships to attend Queen’s University, where he completed a BA (1962) and MA (1965) in history and played basketball for the Golden Gaels. He later earned a PhD in Canadian history from the University of Manitoba in 1970, studying political and social ideas in mid-19th century Canada.

As a successful and respected history professor, Rasporich taught various courses and supervised many graduate students. The monographs he authored and edited focused on Western Canadian history, multicultural subjects, immigration to Canada and regional and urban history. He belonged to the group of young scholars in the field of social history that emerged in the 1960s and challenged traditional historical narratives. Social history focused on the lives and struggles of ordinary people and often examined the themes such as immigration, labour, class, ethnicity, race, women, family and community that were largely missing from the historical record. These academics were committed to revealing the impact of these groups and to demonstrate that they were neither static, nor uniform in their views, nor passive in the face of events impacting on their lives.

Rasporich was an early advocate of multiculturalism in Canada and from 1980 to 2002 he served as co-editor of the journal Canadian Ethnic Studies/. He authored and edited or co-edited several books including: Prairie Perspectives (1973), Western Canada Past and Present (1975), Frontier Calgary (1975), The Social Sciences and Public Policy in Canada (1979), The Making of the Modern West (1984), Winter Sports in the West (1990), Migration and the Transformation of Cultures (1992), Harm’s Way: Disasters in Western Canada (2004), and a history of the University of Calgary entitled Make No Small Plans (2007). Rasporich also contributed to the Dictionary of Canadian Biography. 

“He was a fine scholar, a thoughtful administrator as Dean of Social Sciences, a good colleague and someone who cared deeply about the University of Calgary, which he served throughout his career,” says professor emeritus Stephen J. Randall, former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences.

Rasporich was a leading historian on Croatians in Canada, publishing extensively on topics such as early immigrants, labour radicals, and migrant workers during the Great Depression. He was the first to expose the impact of Canada’s WWI national internment (1914–1920) on Croatian immigrants, highlighting their surveillance, internment, forced labour, and post-war deportations.

“Anthony Rasporich was a pillar of the University of Calgary community for nearly four decades. Those who knew him best would agree on two things: first, that he richly deserved to have his memory honored by the university; and second, that no one would have been more surprised than Tony himself by the tributes to a life well lived,” says Dr. Paul Chastko, associate professor, and current head of the Department of History. “Tall and commanding, he was equally known for his kindness and humor, making every interaction feel personal and genuine. Dr. Rasporich  infused his Canadian history classes with vivid storytelling, deep insight and a generous spirit that inspired generations of students. His legacy endures in the minds he shaped, the stories he told, and the kindness he showed. We are better for having known him.”

Rasporich was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. His wife of 64 years, Beverly, has also been a distinguished professor, scholar, and administrator. A Fulbright Scholar and former Dean of Academic Programmes (1988–1998), she published widely on Canadian identity, humour, and women artists.

Their son Paul reflected:
"Both of my parents were brilliant academics, but to us, they were simply mom and dad. Since Dad's passing this summer, we've come to understand the depth of his international impact—and how warmly he’s remembered by his students. Despite his many achievements, he remained humble. Above all, he was a remarkable father."

´şÉ«Ö±˛Ą offers deep thanks to Dr. Anthony W. Rasporich for the contributions he made to the university, his research field and the community at large. The flag on Swann Mall was lowered to half mast on the day of his funeral, August 19 to pay tribute to his life.