Thomas Keith SCOBIE

MD, CM, FRCS (C) Born in Ottawa, January 29, 1922, died in David, Panama, August 17, 2002 at the age of 80. Pioneer Ottawa vascular surgeon, researcher and teacher; beloved husband of the late Norma (Bobbie) Tandy; loving father of Robin Mary (Allan Dobie), Gillian Tandy (Laurel-Lea Shannon), Pamela Tandy (Martin Eeles), Thomas David (Karina Rosas); devoted grandfather of Tyler and Logan Dobie, Donald and Kathleen MacGregor and Samuel Shay Scobie; son of the late Thomas Jones Scobie, MD, CM, and Lillian Edith Manchester; brother of the late Dr. Donald Scobie and the late Muriel Scobie Birks; brother-in-law of Drummond Birks; uncle to several nieces and nephews. Keith attended Ottawa Normal Model School and Glebe Collegiate, graduating in 1940 with the Ronald Ames Trophy for top academic and athletic excellence. During WWII Keith enlisted with the 29th Canadian Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla and was Captain of MTB 466; he was mentioned in dispatches while serving on D-Day. Keith graduated from McGill Medical School in 1949, then specialized in vascular surgery. In 1955 he began his medical practice in Ottawa and started the first training program in vascular surgery in Canada. He became Chief of Vascular Surgery at the Ottawa Civic Hospital and at the University of Ottawa. Keith served as president of the Ontario Medical Association and was a founding director of the Civic Hospital Foundation, and a founding member of both the Dr. T. Keith Scobie Society to honour volunteers in the Foundation, and the Ottawa Foundation for Medical Research, where he originated local use of arterial homographs in clinical work. He presented his research at national and international conferences. He retired in 1987 and suffered a severe stroke while on a lecture trip in India in October 1987. He defied medical expectations and was able to live life to the full. For the past three years, he enjoyed the tropical beauty and tranquility of life in the province of Chiriqui in Panama. Keith was a caring, compassionate man who excelled in his profession as well as being a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He strove for excellence in all he did, and was a mentor to many in the medical community. A memorial service will be held at St. Matthias Anglican Church, 555 Parkdale Avenue, Ottawa on Friday, August 30th at 2 p.m. (For more information, please see the website at www.stmatthias.ca/office.htm) A gathering with refreshments will be held at the church after the service. Donations can be made to the T. Keith Scobie Vascular Surgery Fund, c/o The Ottawa Hospital Foundation. The Ottawa Citizen, 23-08-2002