Michael Webster March 23rd, 1960 – October 17th, 2018
Los Altos Institute is pleased to be introducing the Michael Webster Fellowship. Michael was one of the first regular members of our institute’s reading groups in Vancouver, back in 2016. He was one of our most diligent and consistent participants in our Urban Studies, Populism and Revolution reading groups, as well as a dedicated member of our Speculative Fiction reading group, as a long-time fan of the genre.
Michael was a generous donor to our institute in both cash but, more importantly, in always purchasing extra wine and snacks for our events; and he would often pay his membership fee more than once per year, supposedly due to a clerical error. In this way, he helped to infuse our community with generosity and humility.
In 2018, Michael’s cancer returned and he became unable to make it reliably to our events. Following his unexpectedly sudden death that fall, we discovered his most recent book purchases, by the easy chair in his West End apartment were the latest assigned Institute readings. And we were most honoured to receive a donation from his estate of his speculative fiction book collection and a coffee-maker and fish tank for the day we are able to find a permanent home for our office.
Michael leaves behind his brother Brian, sister-in-law Gabriele and many close friends whom our LAI delegation to his memorial wake were able to meet for the first time.
After consulting with Michael’s family, we are proud to announce that we are able to receive donations in Michael’s name to do something he did personally and quietly as a member: subsidize the participation of low-income and younger members in institute activities through book, registration and membership fee subsidies. If you would like to contribute to Michael’s memory in this way, please send us a short e-mail to donate@losaltos.ca and then transfer your chosen donation amount to that address (via Interac or PayPal), or you can use our regular credit card donor form on our donation page or of the course in which you wish to sponsor someone. We promise to let you know how many people and whom you have helped.
Los Altos members at Michael’s memorial
