Calgary community leader Jack Perraton passes away

Calgary is mourning the loss today of a prominent citizen.

Jack Perraton passed away Sunday after a brief battle with leukemia.

Perraton, a Calgary lawyer, was a member of the Order of Canada, and was named Calgary's Citizen of the Year in 1997.

He chaired Calgary's 2005 Expo bid, and spent 12 years with the University of Calgary, including roles as chancellor, as well as serving as the Board ofGovernors chair.

His youngest son Kris describes him as a selfless person.

"Remember him as an amazing family man. A man who gave everything he could to his family, but also to his community, to his city, to his country."

Perraton also served as president of both the Canadian Bar Association and Calgary Winter Club, as well as Alberta's Honorary Consul General for South Korea, among other achievements.

Former Calgary mayor Al Duerr was at the Perraton family home Sunday.

"He was the consummate volunteer," said Duerr.

"When you gave him something, he took that quiet sense of resolve and tremendous passion and threw himself at things that not just impressed people, but blew them away."

Mayor Naheed Nenshi said he was saddened to hear about Perraton's passing.

"His commitment to our community through his work at the University of Calgary and many health and culture initiatives was noticed and celebrated by many," Nenshi said.

"Every community needs leaders like Jack. We are one of the few fortunate places to have had one. My thoughts and prayers are with Jack's family today."

University of Calgary President Elizabeth Cannon called Perraton an extraordinary leader in Calgary.

"His legacy will live on through the numerous initiatives he championed to improve accessibility and ensure high-quality learning experiences for our students. We extend our deepest sympathy to Jack's family. He will be greatly missed," said Cannon in a statement.

He was diagnosed with leukemia in January.

Perraton was 65 years old.