Celebrating the Lives of Western Mustangs

By Arlo Burness, Assistant Curator, John P. Metras Museum

One of the greatest gifts of memorializing Western athletes through the museum is the chance to highlight and celebrate the achievements and greatness of past and present Mustangs. It is an honour to share the stories and accomplishments of six Western athletes who we lost this year.

Rose Johnston

Hailing from St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Rose Johnston played volleyball for the Western Mustangs in the early to mid-seventies. Her love for sports and athleticism didn’t end with her Western career, and her family fondly remembers her love for the outdoors, swimming in the Atlantic, and walking every day. Rose was inducted into the St. Stephen Basketball Wall of Honour in 2019, alongside the team she played with. Outside of sports, Rose was a pianist and composer, a spiritual guide, and a medical doctor, supporting women in their home births.

Rose is survived by her partner, Muriel, three children, David (Alice), Paul (Sara), and Claire (Jony), and grandchildren, Ella, Ezra, Amos, Juniper, Sylvie, and great-grandchildren Scarlette and Will.  

Vaughan Peckham

Vaughan Peckham was a staple in Mustangs volleyball, being both a student-athlete and coach from 1978-85. Vaughan’s coaching extended beyond his time at Western, as he served as a coach at the youth, high school, and post-secondary levels. As a student, Vaughan was a two-time captain, and helped bring home two OUA championships. In his seven years as a coach at Western, he saw three OUA champion wins. Vaughan was inducted into the Western Mustang Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 in celebration of his accomplishments and the impact he had on volleyball.

Vaughan is survived by his brother Allan (Lorraine), wife Jane, children Scott (Megan), Mark (Rachel), and Allison (Zach), and his ten grandchildren, Grier, Reid, Anson, Campbell, Jude, Avery, Lucas, Audrey, Michael, and Rena.

Deborah Wiseman

An incredibly valuable player for Mustang soccer, Deborah Wiseman remains to be one of the most outstanding soccer players for Western, and remains one of the top five athletes for career goals and number of goals in one season. Deborah’s accomplishments were recognized by the City of Niagara Sports Wall of Fame, A. N. Myers Athletic Wall of Distinction, and on the Western Soccer Wall of Honour. She brought her love for sports  to youth, coaching soccer, ball, and hockey. 

Deborah will be missed by many, including her husband Jeff, and children Maddie (Mike), Kendra (Lucaas), Brody (Lindsey), mother Nila, sisters Susan and Lori (Rick), and many more loving family members.

Jim Parker

Jim Parker’s legacy in Western track and field was highly celebrated and recognized. In his four years competing with Western, Jim brought home two OUA golds, six OUA silvers, and two CIS golds. In these milestone runs, Jim also set a Western and Canadian record at the CIS competition. He came back to Western as an assistant coach, a role he held for 30 years. In 2010, Jim was inducted into the Western Mustang Sports Hall of Fame for all his accomplishments as a Western athlete and coach.

Jim leaves behind his wife, Mary, daughters Kim (Mark) and Jennifer (Jose), and his grandchildren, Parker, Beatrice, and Kai.

Ryan Held

Affectionately known as “Heldy”, Ryan Held helped bring Mustang hockey to a national title in 2002. Before his time at Western, Ryan played for the OHL for 247 regular season games, playing for the Kitchener Rangers, Soo Greyhounds, and London Knights. After his time at Western, Ryan continued with a professional hockey career, playing in the CHL for Memphis and Mississippi, and represented Canada at the World University Games.

Ryan is survived by his wife Laura, and their two children Payton and Ethan.

Whitman Tucker

An incredible multi-faceted athlete, Whitman Tucker was a wraparound athlete. He represented Western in basketball, football, and track and field. Whit’s capabilities as an athlete were well recognized, as he landed the title of All-Star in football, along with winning the George McCullagh Award, being named Western’s football MVP in 1961, and the Dr. Claude Brown Trophy, given to Western’s Athlete of the Year in 1962. He went on to play for the CFL for eight years, and was named a CFL All Star in 1967. In 1983, Whit was inducted into the Western Mustang Sports Hall of Fame.

Whit joins his beloved wife, Heather, and will be missed by his three daughters, Kelly (Gary), Diane (Paul), and Wendy, as well as his grandchildren, Ben, Shannon (Tom), Sam (Chris), Hayley, Payton, Ireland, Tucker, Cameron, and Madeleine, and great-granddaughter, Whitley.

We are honoured to continue to tell the stories of these amazing Western athletes, and to shine the light on their outstanding and time-honoured accomplishments.