It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Koyalemót — Mary Diane Stewart, an associate professor of modern languages at UFV. She passed peacefully surrounded by family on March 16, 2026.
Dr. Sylvie Murray, Dean of Arts, and Alan Cameron, modern languages professor, shared these words about Mary:
Mary completed a Social Services diploma from what was then Fraser Valley College in 1986. In 1994, she started her journey of learning Upriver Halq’eméylem, fortunate to be trained by fluent Upriver Halq’eméylem Elders. In 2016, she completed a Master of Education in Instruction and Curriculum, with a First Nations focus, at Simon Fraser University. In 2013, she started as a seminar assistant at UFV, then taught as a sessional before being appointed assistant professor in the Modern Languages department in 2019 and promoted to associate professor with tenure in August 2024. Between Fall 2022 and Winter 2025, along with Siyámíya (Dianna) Kay, Mary taught the first cohort of the Halq’eméylem graduate certificate and diploma. Mary also learned and mentored as part of the Stó:lō Shxwelí language program. Of her life-long passion as a language revivalist, she said: “I have gained so much in learning my language, honoured to have sat with the Elders who also shared our cultural ways. My Elder teachers were so humble and loving. And one of the biggest messages I have received from the Elders is to teach the language with love!”
All who had the privilege to learn from Mary—as students or as colleagues—know that she taught with love, passion and compassion. Her long-time colleague Alan Cameron who took Mary’s Halq’eméylem 201 with her last fall said: “I loved her classes and the relaxed, inclusive environment that she created. Mary developed a warm, welcoming atmosphere for all her students and we all looked forward to coming to each and every one of Mary’s classes. In my mind’s eye, I can still see her expressive face, her graceful movements as she taught us gestures and her soothing voice as she explained how to produce a certain phoneme. I feel privileged to have been taught by Mary; I learned so much about her language and culture, knowledge that I will treasure and continue to develop for the rest of my life.”
A service honouring Mary was held on March 20.
Photos of Mary can be viewed here.
A story featuring Mary, about her work teaching in the Halq’eméylem graduate certificate and diploma programs, can be found here.