George Alain Frecker, OC (June 29, 1905 – September 30, 1979) was a Canadian politician and academic administrator.[1]

George Alain Frecker
Minister of Provincial Affairs
In office
1964–1971
Minister of Education
In office
1959–1964
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for Placentia East
In office
August 20, 1959 – October 28, 1971
Preceded byGreg Power
Succeeded byJoey Smallwood
Personal details
Born
George Alain Frecker

June 29, 1905
Saint-Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon
DiedSeptember 30, 1979(1979-09-30) (aged 74)
St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
Political partyLiberal
SpouseHelena Mary McGrath
Children8

Early life

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Frecker was the son of George and Suzanna Frecker. He was born in St. Pierre in 1905[2] and moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia at the age of 13. He completed a B.Sc. in electrical engineering from the Nova Scotia Technical College in 1932 and a B.A. From Saint Mary's University in 1933.[1]

Career

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Frecker moved to St. John's, Newfoundland in 1934 as the head of the Engineering Department at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He served as the Secretary of Education and the Deputy Minister of Education from 1944 to 1959. In 1959 he resigned as the Deputy Minister of Education to become the MHA for the District of Placentia East, a position he held until 1971. During his time as MHA he served as the Minister of Education from 1959 to 1964 and the Minister of Provincial Affairs from 1964 to 1971.[3]

He was the Chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland from 1972 to 1979. In 1972 he was presented with the Order of Canada medal of service for "excellence in all fields of endeavour in Canadian life".[3] During his life he was awarded honorary degrees from St. Francis Xavier University, St. Mary's University, Memorial University, Laval University and the University of Montreal.[1]

Family

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He married Helena Mary McGrath; the couple had eight children.[2]

Death

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Frecker died at the age of 74. After his death the Memorial University Campus in St. Pierre was renamed l'Institut Frecker and a French choir in St. John's was renamed Chorale Frecker in his honour.[1]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c d "G. A. Frecker papers". Memorial University. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b Newfoundland who's who : Centennial edition 1967-1968. p. 86.
  3. ^ a b Smallwood, Joseph (1994). Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador, Vol. 2 (1. ed., 4. print. ed.). St. John's: Newfoundland Book Publishers. p. 396. ISBN 0-920508-16-2.
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland
1972-1979
Succeeded by