Agnes McCausland Benidickson, (August 19, 1920 – March 23, 2007) was the first female Chancellor of Queen's University

Queen's University

Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...

 at Kingston, Ontario

Kingston, Ontario

Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, from 1980 to 1996.

Born in Chaffeys Locks, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, she was the daughter of the former Queen's Chancellor James Armstrong Richardson, Sr.

James Armstrong Richardson, Sr.

James Armstrong Richardson Sr. was an influential business person in Canada in both business and aviation during the early part of the 20th Century. He lived most of his life in Winnipeg.-Early life:...

, who served from 1929 to 1939. She was raised in Winnipeg

Winnipeg

Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...

, and received her B.A.

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 degree from Queen's in 1941, and an LL.D. degree in 1979. She is the sister of the Honourable James A. Richardson

James Armstrong Richardson

James Armstrong Richardson, PC was a Canadian Cabinet minister under Pierre Trudeau, and a Winnipeg businessman....

, who was a Trudeau

Pierre Trudeau

Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...

 era Liberal

Liberal Party of Canada

The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...

 Member of Parliament

Canadian House of Commons

The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...

 and Cabinet minister.

She was made an Officer of the Order of Canada

Order of Canada

The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...

 in 1987, and promoted to a Companion in 1998. In 1987, she received an honorary Doctors of Law degree from the University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...

. In 1991, she was awarded the Order of Ontario

Order of Ontario

The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...

.

Queen's highest honour for student service to the University, is named in her honour. Recipients of the Agnes Benidickson Tricolour Award

Agnes Benidickson Tricolour Award

The Tricolour Award and induction into the Tricolour Society is the highest tribute that can be paid to a student of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario for valuable and distinguished service to the University in non-academic and non-athletic activities...

 are awarded admission into the Agnes Benidickson Tricolour Society.

In 1947, she married William Moore Benidickson

William Moore Benidickson

William Moore "Bill" Benidickson, PC was a Canadian politician. He was the Liberal-Labour Member of Parliament for Kenora—Rainy River for over twenty years....

 (1911–1985), a former Liberal MP, Cabinet minister and Senator. She died on March 23, 2007 at her home in Ottawa.

From her obituary:

Agnes lived a life enriched by her family, her travels, her experiences and above all by her service to community and country through a host of organizations which she founded, helped to lead and sustain through her tireless volunteer efforts. Her life and her example will continue to be celebrated by her children, Jamie, Kris and Kathleen, their partners Melanie Mallet, Shirley Benidickson, and Alex Ramsay, daughter-in-law Victoria Young-Benidickson, granddaughters Nicola Benidickson, Kirsten Benidickson, Martha and Leigh Ramsay, her extended family, and all who were touched by the commitment, insight, grace and generosity which were the hallmarks of her life.