In Memoriam: Winnifred Anne Herington
Categories: Alumni + Friends, Faculty
Winnifred Anne Herington, a professor at the University of Toronto’s Social Work Faculty from 1965 to 1989, passed away peacefully on November 17.
“Professor Herington was a very gracious person and a leader in our faculty, in our field, and in the community,” says Interim Dean Charmaine Williams. “I’ll always remember her kind words of encouragement when I stepped into the role of Associate Dean in 2009 — a role that she also held leading up to her retirement. It was clear how much she was respected and beloved.”
Professor Herington graduated from the U of T with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work in 1947 and worked in practice for 20 years before returning to the university as a teacher in 1965. She was a professor of social work during a time of significant change for the Faculty, which included the move to its current home at 246 Bloor Street West and the shift from being a school to a Faculty of Social Work. Professor Herington was part of an era when teaching and research began to better reflect populations and subjects that had until then traditionally been excluded, such as women and people with disabilities.
Although Professor Herington embraced teaching, academia was not her only passion. As the Counselling Foundation of Canada shares, on top of her career, Professor Herington was an avid volunteer with the Ontario College of Social Workers, the Ontario Association of Social Workers, the Big Sisters Association of Toronto (now YouthLink), Bloorview Children’s Hospital, and the Anglican Church. In 1992, The Counselling Foundation of Canada appointed her to its the Board of Directors.
In recognition of generous contributions as a volunteer and a leader in the various organizations she served, Herrington was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
Professor Herington’s career and contributions have been an inspiration to students, alumni and colleagues, alike. She will be greatly missed.
Celebration of Life arrangements are anticipated in Spring 2023.