Memorable Manitobans: Garson Nathaniel “Gerry” Vogel (1918-1981)

Administrator, civil servant.

Born at Winnipeg on 10 September 1918, son of Rebecca Serkan, he received degrees in Arts and Law from the University of Manitoba. During the Second World War, he served five years in the Canadian Army then began a 30-year career in the grain industry, starting with Soo Line Mills in Winnipeg before moving to Ottawa to become Chief of the Grain Division of the C. D. Howe Institute for seven years. He then spent eight years as head of Canadian operations for the Bunge Corporation, an American grain firm. He became a Commissioner of the Canadian Wheat Board, serving as its Chief Commissioner (1969-1977). He resigned to be Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program, based at Rome, Italy from 1977 to his death. He and wife Nora May Blackwell (1920-2013) had four children. In recognition of his community service, he received a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977) and an honorary doctorate from the University of Manitoba (1979). He died at Rome, Italy on 29 April 1981.

Sources:

Birth registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Garson Vogel dies in Rome at 62,” Winnipeg Free Press, 1 May 1981, page 16.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 1 May 1981, page 42.

Obituary [Nora May Vogel], Winnipeg Free Press, 28 December 2013.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 19 July 2019

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!