David Pattenden, Law’71, LLD’03 (Arts’67, MA’69, MEd’74), pictured right with his lifelong friend, nominator, and Padre Laverty’s nephew, Dr. Thomas Todd, Meds’69, in Ban Righ Hall.
David Pattenden, Law’71, LLD’03 (Arts’67, MA’69, MEd’74), pictured right with his lifelong friend, nominator, and Padre Laverty’s nephew, Dr. Thomas Todd, Meds’69, in Ban Righ Hall.

When Padre A. Marshall Laverty helped a young David Pattenden more than a half-century ago, he sowed seeds that resulted in over 50 years of giving back. On May 28, their story came full circle with Pattenden winning Queen’s Padre Laverty Award for his charitable work.

Growing up poor in an Irish-Canadian family, Pattenden hadn’t even considered university. But the encouragement of his wife Ruth, who he married in his early 20s, and the guidance and assistance of Padre Laverty, when Pattenden arrived at Queen’s in 1965, changed his life.

Pattenden went on to receive five Queen’s degrees – BA’67, MA’69, LLB’71, MEd’74, LLD’03 – and to pursue a distinguished career both professionally and as a volunteer. On May 28, he was presented with an award named for Laverty, his Queen’s mentor and the university’s first chaplain.

The Padre Laverty Award, given by the Kingston Branch of the Queen’s University Alumni Association (QUAA), recognizes Pattenden’s outstanding service to his university and city. A former CEO of both the Ontario Medical Association and a Lavalin/Bombardier division, he has also been a teacher at Queen’s and St. Lawrence College, a board member of Kingston General Hospital, chair of both Queen’s Human Mobility Research Centre and the Dean’s Committee for Queen’s Law's 50th anniversary celebrations, and has served on many Queen’s organizations. Most recently, he has been actively involved on the boards of the Hotel Dieu Hospital and W.J. Henderson Foundation, where he helps to direct millions of dollars of funds, primarily for medical projects, to Queen’s University and the Kingston hospitals.

“David’s contributions to Queen’s have been truly exemplary,” says Lee Wetherall (Ed'76, MBA'82), QUAA Kingston Branch President. “He has been involved with the university at every level, from student to Queen’s Council to the Board of Trustees.”

When considering his motivation for making so many community contributions, Pattenden thinks back to his earlier life experiences. “After I decided to continue the university route,” he says, “I felt very much like I wanted to contribute to the system that allowed me to change my life entirely. You realize along the way that you need to help others too.”

See more photos of the 2015 Padre Laverty and Jim Bennett Achievement Awards Dinner on flickr.