Born in Dudley, Worcestershire, England, the son of a clergyman, he emigrated to Canada with his family settling in Lipton, Saskatchewan when he was eleven.[1] He taught school in Grenfell before serving as an artillery officer during World War II, achieving the rank of major. After the war, he attended the University of Saskatchewan and received a law degree in 1949. He practised law in Regina and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1963.
His wife Joyce Johnson was an eminent piano teacher. In 1990, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada "for his dedication to the arts, education and the environment and for his contribution to Saskatchewan's history and heritage".[3] In 1991 was awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.