In Memoriam

St. John’s; University of Liverpool (England), 1957; diagnostic radiology. Died Feb. 21, 2019, aged 85. Survived by his wife Mavis, 5 sons and 4 grandchildren. “He served as radiologist at the former Grace Hospital in St. John’s and at the Captain William Jackman Memorial Hospital in Labrador City.”

Victoria; University of London (England), 1965; general practice. Died Feb. 20, 2019, aged 83.

Corner Brook, Nfld.; University College of Cork (Ireland), 1965; general practice, anesthesiology. Died Feb. 18, 2019, aged 85. Survived by his wife Daphne, 5 children, 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. “Before retiring in 2009, Dr. Dureke spent many years as an anesthesiologist at the Western Memorial Regional Hospital. Previously, he was a wing commander and commanding officer of a Nigerian Air Force base hospital.”

Peterborough, Ont.; Queen’s University, 1972; family medicine. Died Feb. 15, 2019, aged 75. Survived by his wife Barb, 3 children and 6 grandchildren. “After 2 years in Kapuskasing, Ont., Roger continued his medical career in Peterborough. For over 4 decades he was a caring and dedicated family physician in the city, in a profession he loved. Always up for new experiences and challenges, he served as chief of family medicine and as interim director of mental health services at the Peterborough hospital.”

Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que.; Alexandria University (Egypt), 1957; obstetrics and gynecology. Died Feb. 15, 2019, aged 86. Survived by 3 children, 4 grandchildren, the mother of his children, Claude Mabardi, his wife, Sylvana Naggiar, and her 2 children.

London, Ont.; University of Pierre and Marie Curie (France), 1959; cardiothoracic surgery. Died Feb. 14, 2019, aged 87. Survived by 3 children and 2 grandchildren. “Dr. Guiraudon became a professor of medicine in Paris in 1965 and performed the first heart transplant in Europe in 1968. He moved to the University of Western Ontario and University Hospital in 1981, where he continued to pioneer surgical procedures and engaged in ground-breaking research in cardiac electrophysiology. To the end, he collaborated as an associate at the Robarts Research Institute and with scientists around the world, notably in the Netherlands, France and the US. He cherished imagination and invention in his field to better the lives of patients.”

Medicine Hat, Alta.; University of Alberta, 1990; family medicine. Died Feb. 13, 2019, aged 65. Survived by his wife Maggie, 5 children and 6 grandchildren. “In 1984, at age 31 and with 2 children, Sid decided to return to school to become a physician. He attended the Medicine Hat College and then medical school at the University of Alberta before completing a family medicine residency in Edmonton. Sid moved back to Medicine Hat in 1992 and built a built a huge and fulfilling family practice that defined his life over the next 26 years. He delivered hundreds of babies, and was a true family doctor.”

Etobicoke, Ont.; University of Western Ontario, 1969; general practice. Died Feb. 12, 2019, aged 89.

Red Deer, Alta.; University of Witwatersrand (South Africa), 1967; pediatrics. Died Feb. 11, 2019, aged 74.

North York, Ont.; University of Cape Town (South Africa), 1949; obstetrics and gynecology. Died Feb. 11, 2019, aged 92.

Salt Spring Island, BC; University of London (England), 1957; Royal Navy; diagnostic radiology. Died Feb. 11, 2019, aged 86. Survived by his wife Lynne, 4 children and 12 grandchildren. “Frank and Lynne immigrated to Canada in 1966 so Frank could work as a GP in rural Ontario. In 1970 the family moved to BC, where he trained in radiology and settled in the Fraser Valley.”

Ottawa; University of Haiti (Haiti), 1956; neurosurgery. Died Feb. 10, 2019, aged 87. Survived by his wife, Margaret Kandiah Dennery, 6 children and 9 grandchildren.

West Vancouver; University of British Columbia, 1963; general practice. Died Feb. 8, 2019, aged 82. Survived by his wife Sandy, a son and 2 grandchildren. “Gary’s passions for medicine, problem solving and helping others were fulfilled through his career as a general practitioner in North Vancouver. He prided himself in the care he could provide helping multiple generations of patients from the same family. He delivered babies, completed general surgical procedures and, every weekday except Thursdays, made house calls on his way home. Thursday afternoons were reserved for golf.”

Ottawa; University of Ottawa, 1966; family medicine. Died Feb. 7, 2019, aged 87. Survived by his wife Christiane, 7 children, 11 grandchildren and a great-grandchild. “A beloved family physician who was always true to his Trinidadian roots, he founded the Black Canadian Scholarship Fund in 1996 and worked tirelessly to promote higher education for disadvantaged Black youth within Ottawa. He received multiple awards in recognition of his community activism.”

Calgary; National Defence Medical School (Taiwan), 1960; family medicine. Died Feb. 5, 2019, aged 88. Survived by his wife Grace, 3 children and 4 grandchildren. “Wing-Kin was a much-respected and beloved family physician for 32 years at the Shellbrook Community Hospital in Saskatchewan, followed by 8 years at the Saskatoon Minor Emergency Clinic. He retired from practice in 2007, when he moved to Calgary. The town of Shellbrook and its surrounding communities are remembered with great fondness for their welcoming embrace of a new immigrant physician and his family 52 years ago.”

Edinburgh, Scotland; University of Glasgow (Scotland), 1958; psychiatry. Died Feb. 5, 2019, aged 84. Survived by his wife Judith, 2 children and a grandchild.

Edmonton; Royal College of Surgeons (Ireland), 1971; general practice. Died Feb. 3, 2019, aged 76. Survived by his wife Curdell, 6 children and a grandson.

Mississauga, Ont.; University of Toronto, 1956; diagnostic radiology. Died Feb. 3, 2019, aged 86. Survived by his wife Janis, 2 children and 4 grandchildren. “After graduating from medical school, Doug had a fulfilling career, first as a general practitioner and then for 42 years as a radiologist at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, where he enjoyed the opportunity to work with radiologists visiting from other countries. Early in his career he took his young family on a 2-year assignment in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he helped establish the radiology department at the University of Malaya. Doug was also a committed nuclear weapons abolitionist with deep roots in Physicians for Global Survival, the Canadian affiliate of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, and he was an active member of other disarmament-focused peace organizations.”

Calgary; University of Alberta, 1957; general practice. Died Feb. 1, 2019, aged 85. Survived by his wife Jeannine, 2 children and 5 grandchildren. “Gordon was a dedicated physician and worked in his family practice for 35 years. He was the district chief of staff and chief of staff of the Glenmore Park Auxiliary Hospital from 1965 to 1970, and served as president of the Rockyview Hospital medical staff in 1974. Gordon was committed to the well-being of his patients, friends and family, and worked tirelessly in the service of others.”

Courtenay, BC; University of Alberta, 1955; general practice. Died Feb. 1, 2019, aged 87. Survived by his wife, Mary Louise, 4 children and his grandchildren. “On returning to Canada after training in England, Don joined a family practice in Kimberley, BC, initially intending to stay for a short time. However, he became rooted there for 18 years due to the marvellous friends, community and outdoor life. In 1971, Don arranged for a unique and memorable 1-year exchange to Australia. In 1978 the family moved to North Vancouver, where Don brought the skills, values and compassion of a small-community GP to urban practice.”

Brockville, Ont.; University of Toronto, 1966; diagnostic radiology. Died Feb. 1, 2019, aged 76.

Orillia, Ont.; Cambridge University (England), 1956; urology. Died Jan. 29, 2019, aged 87. Survived by his wife Cathy, a son, 2 stepchildren and 2 grandsons. “In 1966 the family came to London, Ont., where David attained his fellowship in urology. In 1974, with urging from friends in Orillia, David opened that city’s first urology service. Retiring after 25 years of practice, David did urology locums in New Zealand and Australia. While on the way home from the southern hemisphere, David and Cathy were introduced to Dr. Cynthia Maung, an ethnic Karen who fled the brutal uprising in Burma in 1988 and then practised at the Mae Tao Clinic on the Thai/Burma Border. This encounter led to a new career and a charitable pursuit, Project Umbrella Burma, which saw David teach surgery at the clinic for 6 months each year for 10 years. He and Cathy, with Saw Kshakalu, founded and continue to support the Kaw Tha Blay College for ethnic Karen students from Burma/Myanmar.”

Windsor, Ont.; St. Joseph University (Lebanon), 1947; general practice. Died Jan. 29, 2019, aged 97. Survived by his wife Irene, 5 children, 14 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. “One of the first doctors of Middle Eastern descent to practise medicine in southwestern Ontario, ‘Dr. Mike’ practised in Windsor for more than half a century, continuing past his 90th birthday. He enjoyed a special affinity with many of the city’s immigrant communities, which was made possible by his fluency in 5 languages. He loved his work. He was honoured with a medal for years of public service in the year of the Queen’s Jubilee, and was called ‘The People’s Doctor.’ With his wife of 69 years, Irene, and their long-time caregiver, the late Emilia (Bea) Rossi, he raised a pharmacist, an occupational therapist and 3 doctors. Mike is remembered widely for his unflagging work ethic, empathy, humour and worldliness.”

Oshawa, Ont.; Baghdad University (Iraq), 1992; orthopedic surgery; former chief of surgery, Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH), Lindsay, Ont. Died Jan. 23, 2019, following a traffic accident, aged 49. Dr. Bharat Chawla, chief of staff at RMH, said staff were “devastated” by his death. “Dr. Al-Beer was an exceptional orthopedic surgeon, but more than that, he was a good, kind person and a friend to so many at the Ross.” A former patient wrote: “I am shocked and saddened to hear of his tragic death. He was a very nice man and a very compassionate doctor.”

Surrey, BC; University of Saskatchewan, 1959; general practice. Died Jan. 22, 2019, aged 83. Survived by his wife Joanie, 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren.

Westlock, Alta.; University of Birmingham (England), 1963; general practice. Died Jan. 21, 2019, aged 79. Survived by 3 children and 3 grandchildren.

St. John’s; Dalhousie University, 1961; diagnostic radiology. Died Jan. 19, 2019, aged 84. Survived by 2 daughters and 2 grandchildren. “After medical school Spencer worked for several years as a general practitioner. He then went to McGill to do a residency in radiology, and in 1970 started work as a pediatric radiologist at the Janeway Child Health Centre, where he stayed until his retirement at the age of 72. Spencer was passionate about his work and loved his colleagues. He also enjoyed teaching and spent much of his career with a student sitting next to him. He was honoured when a radiology teaching award was named after him.”

Calgary; University of Calcutta (India), 1948; obstetrics and gynecology. Died Jan. 16, 2019, aged 94. Survived by his wife Karin, 2 children and 3 grandchildren. “He lived his 94 years to the fullest. At the time of his retirement in 2011 he was one of the longest-serving OB/GYNs in Calgary, having helped thousands of women with thoughtful and compassionate care, and having delivered hundreds of babies.”

Québec; Université Laval, 1962; endocrinology. Died Jan. 16, 2019, aged 81. Survived by his wife, Nicole Cantin, 5 children, 16 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Dr. Jean-Patrice Baillargeon, president of the Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (CSEM), commented: “This eminent researcher and endocrinologist was Canada’s most-cited scientist, with more than 1,340 publications and 50,000-plus citations. In recognition of his work, he was awarded the Order of Canada and the National Order of Quebec, and as an esteemed member of CSEM, Dr. Labrie was recognized with the Dr. Fernand Labrie Fellowship Research Grant. He also founded one of the largest endocrinology research groups in the world at Université de Laval. His significant contributions to clinical medicine include the first treatment to prolong life for patients with prostate cancer. Additionally, his research on androgens and estrogens in women after menopause has contributed to the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.”

Spruce Grove, Alta.; University of Alberta, 1964; orthopedic surgery. Died Jan. 15, 2019, aged 81. Survived by his wife Lucille, 4 children and 7 grandchildren. “After completing his specialty training in 1970, Bob practised in Edmonton and Yellowknife for the following 47 years. He retired in January 2017.” A colleague wrote: “I was sad to see him retire from Grey Nuns, and it saddens me that he has retired from life. He taught me a lot about orthopedics and made me better at my job.”

Avoca, Que.; McGill University, 1943; internal medicine. Died Jan. 14, 2019, aged 100.

Agassiz, BC; University of Glasgow (Scotland), 1949; psychiatry. Died Jan. 10, 2019, aged 92. Survived by his wife Margaret, 3 children, 8 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. “After graduating he served in the Royal Air Force and did general practice in England before immigrating to Canada in 1956. For 6 years he practised in Didsbury, Alta., and then moved to Winnipeg to train in psychiatry. Bob enjoyed lecturing and research at the University of Manitoba and worked at the Selkirk Mental Hospital before taking up a position as Manitoba’s director of forensic psychiatry. In 1987 Bob and Margaret left ‘Winterpeg’ for Beautiful BC, where he served a term as director of psychiatric services at the Chilliwack General Hospital. He retired in 1995 after 45 years of medical practice.”

Vancouver; University of Western Ontario, 1983; family medicine, psychiatry. Died Jan. 10, 2019, aged 68. Survived by her husband John, a daughter and her grandchildren. “Dr. Donnelly was widely recognized as a Canadian pioneer in the field of geriatric psychiatry, and her devotion to senior patient advocacy helped to shape national education and policy.” The University of British Columbia (UBC) observed: “Dr. Donnelly joined the UBC Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Family Practice in 1987, and became a member of the Quarter Century Club in 2013. She received the Killam Excellence in Teaching Award in 2010 for her significant contributions to education within the faculty. Dr. Donnelly led the expansion of the geriatric curriculum at UBC as head and director of various divisions from 1987 to 2016, and was a tireless advocate of senior patients and their rights.”

Guelph, Ont.; University of Ottawa, 1954; internal medicine. Died Jan. 10, 2019, aged 92. Survived by his wife Madeleine, 6 children, 13 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Montréal; Medical University of Sofia (Bulgaria), 1958; general practice. Died Jan. 9, 2019, aged 84.

St. Thomas, Ont.; University of Manitoba, 1948; general practice. Died Jan. 5, 2019, aged 94. Survived by his wife Ellen and his children and grandchildren. “Don practised medicine in Aylmer, Ont., from 1952-96, and was proud that he could golf his age at 88. He passed away peacefully at a hospital where he had enjoyed practising, St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.”

Stoney Creek, Ont.; Madras Medical College (India), 1979; anesthesiology. Died Jan. 5, 2019, aged 61. Survived by his wife Beenu and 2 children.

Windsor, Ont.; McGill University, 1945; anesthesiology. Died Jan. 4, 2019, aged 96. Survived by 4 children, 4 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. “Bill was a trusted and intensely loved anesthetist in Windsor and Essex County for over 45 years. He was often called out in all hours of the night by family and friends for medical advice, and was a trusted friend and companion to many. His love of medicine never left his heart.”

Scarborough, Ont.; University of Hong Kong, 1960; psychiatry. Died Jan. 3, 2019, aged 84. Survived by his wife Christine, 1 child and 3 grandchildren. “Man Pang practised psychiatry in various locations in Hong Kong, British Columbia and Ontario. He was among the first to employ computers in the field of addiction research, and held many positions, including acting head of the Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario. He was also an assistant professor at the University of Toronto and associate professor at Western University. He took great pride in serving and treating his patients with skill and compassion for nearly 5 decades, and published a plethora of academic papers, book chapters and articles.”

Winnipeg; Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), 1970; general practice. Died Jan. 2, 2019, aged 75. Survived by his wife Catherine, 3 children and 4 grandchildren. “Harold was born in Nigeria and studied law in England, but his true calling later led him to Ireland, where he would pursue a medical degree. He would practise medicine for 46 years, with a career that would eventually lead him and his young family to various rural communities in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, before settling with his family in Winnipeg and finishing his career with the team at the Riverwood Medical Centre.”

Vancouver; University of British Columbia (UBC), 1965; University of Toronto (ophthalmology), 1968-72; former staff and head, Surgical Day Care, Eye Care Centre, Vancouver General Hospital (VGH); clinical associate professor, UBC. Died Jan. 2, 2019, aged 78. Survived by a daughter and 2 grandchildren. “Mac was with the UBC/VGH Department of Ophthalmology from 1972 to 2005. He was a strong and principled individual with a mischievous nature and a wicked sense of humor. His greatest passion was his family, with whom he spent countless Sunday dinners cooking for, conversing, and debating. He died peacefully at home.”

Quispamsis, NB; University of Ain Shams (Egypt), 1960; radiology. Died Jan. 1, 2019, aged 85. Survived by his wife Nadia, 3 children and 4 grandchildren. “Samuel was born in Egypt and was a family physician and then an internal medicine specialist while living there. After moving to Canada in 1969, he attended McGill University and completed his residency in radiology. In 1975 he moved to Newfoundland, where he practised radiology in Stephenville and then in Carbonear, before retiring at a youthful 75 years of age.”