Canadian Military Engineers Association

We regret to advise of the death of Major Thomas “Tom” Higgins, CD (Ret’d) of Abbotsford BC, on 27 October 2026.  Tom served a full 35-year career with the Canadian Military Engineers as a Field Engineer and a Construction Engineer, and as a Non-Commissioned Member and a Commissioned Officer.

Tom joined the Royal Canadian Engineers in 1953 as a Sapper Apprentice in the Second Intake. Upon completing his training at the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering in Chilliwack BC, he was posted ‘across the road’ to 3 Field Squadron. Qualifying as a parachutist, Tom was posted to 1 Airborne Troop, Royal Canadian Engineers (RCE) in Edmonton, AB.

Tom deployed with 1 Middle East Detachment, RCE, as part of United Nations Emergency Force I. Returning to Canada, he joined 11 Works Company in Victoria, BC but was soon on the move again when he joined 4 Field Squadron in Werl Germany. Tom returned to Canada for successive tours in Construction Engineering, first with 7 Works Company in Camp Gagetown, followed by the Base Construction Engineering Section in Ottawa (Rockcliffe).

While stationed at Rockcliffe, in 1969 Tom was selected for Commissioning from the Ranks. After his Military Engineering Officer training at the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering (CFSME), he was posted to the Construction Engineering Section at Cold Lake AB.  Following this tour, Tom returned to CFSME as the Mechanical Systems Troop Commander and, upon promotion, became BCEO at CFB Suffield in 1977. Following his Suffield tour, Tom returned to CFSME in 1981 for a four-year tour as Officer Commanding Construction Engineering Training Squadron. His final posting was as BCEO Chilliwack after which he retired from the Canadian Forces in 1988.

Following his military service, Tom worked with the cities of Matsqui, then Abbotsford, as their Manager of Inspection Services. 

Funeral arrangements will be advised when available. 

We regret to advise of the death of Master Warrant Officer Richard “Rick” Overton, CD (Ret'd), at Parkwood Institute's Veterans Care Program in London, ON, on 13 October 2026.

Rick began his military career with the Canadian Military Engineers in 1968 as a Structures Technician, a trade later renamed Construction Technician. He served for 35 years with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Military Engineers, retiring as a Construction Engineer Superintendent at the rank of Master Warrant Officer.  

During his career, Rick was posted to Petawawa, Borden, the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering in Chilliwack, London, North Bay and Trenton. In addition to countless exercises and projects at home and abroad, his deployments took him to Egypt, Alert, Haiti and the former Yugoslavia. Rick’s final posting was to London where he took his retirement from the Canadian Forces and settled in Strathroy, ON.

In accordance with Rick's wishes, a private family interment was held on 26 October 2026 at Forest Lawn Cemetery, 2001 Dundas Street, London, Ontario. If you are in the area, Rick would welcome a visit - simply look for the stone that says "Chimo."

Those wishing to make a donation in Rick's memory are asked to consider the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Society of Canada or Parkinson Canada.
 

We regret to advise of the death of Colonel Earl Vincent Schaubel Jr., CD (Ret’d), peacefully, on 9 October 2026, at Bridlewood Trails Retirement Community in Kanata, ON at age 91.

Born in Chippawa ON, Earl later moved with his family to Ottawa, where he attended Lisgar Collegiate Institute. He began his military education under the Regular Officer Training Plan in 1953, attending Royal Roads Military College in British Columbia. Continuing to the  Royal Military College in Kingston, Earl earned an engineering diploma and subsequently completed a degree in civil engineering at McGill University.

Earl’s military career spanned nearly three decades and included field engineering, surveying and mapping, training and staff appointments. He was posted to the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering in Chilliwack in 1958 and became Assistant Adjutant the next year. Earle next attended the Long Survey Course at the School of Military Survey in Hermitage, Newbury, United Kingdom (1961- 62). Following this course, he undertook survey work at Vimy Ridge for British authorities. Returning to Canada, Earl became the Field Survey Officer and Training Officer at the Army Survey Establishment.

In 1964, Earl was posted to 1 Field Squadron at Petawawa ON as a troop commander and, later, as the Second-in-Command. He was posted to 25 Works Company in Petawawa in October 1965, and became Base Construction Engineering Officer in October 1966. After completing  the Canadian Forces Staff College in Toronto (1967-68), Earl returned to the military mapping community as Officer Commanding Survey Division at the Mapping and Charting Establishment. The next year, he became Head of the Topographic Section in the Directorate of Mapping and Charting.

Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1972, Earl was appointed Commanding Officer of MCE. Two years later, he was posted to Headquarters Training Command in Winnipeg as Senior Staff Officer, Leadership Training. In 1978, Earl returned to National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa as Head of the Topographic Section within the Directorate General Military Engineering Operations. For his final posting, he became Director of Cartographic Operations in 1979..

Earl retired from the Canadian Forces in August 1981 and joined the federal Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, eventually becoming Director of Topographic Mapping. He retired from the Public Service in 1995.

A celebration of Earl’s life will be held Saturday, 14 November 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., at Beechwood National Cemetery, 280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada in memory of Earl Vincent Schaubel.  Online condolences can be sent to the funeral home.