Victor SZYRYNSKI

SZYRYNSKI, Dr. Victor, M.D., Ph.D. Distinguished professor of psychiatry and psychology, Former Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Ottawa General Hospital, Member of the Polish Underground and active leader in the Polish-Canadian Community died peacefully at home in Ottawa on September 21, 2007, aged 93 years. Dr. Szyrynski was born of Polish parents of princely descent in St. Petersburg, spent his early childhood in Finland; and was educated in Poland, England and Canada. He earned his medical degree at the University of Warsaw in 1938 and was assistant professor at Stefan Batory University, Wilno when World War II broke out. He became a member of the Polish Underground and was imprisoned in Moscow, at Lubianka and Butyrki, Russia (1940-1941). Having been freed from prison upon the agreement between General Sikorski and the Soviet government, he rejoined the Polish Forces under British command in Iraq, and served as medical officer from 1941 to 1947 in Africa and the Middle East. In 1945, he met Jadwiga Szczebiot - a nurse with the Polish Forces in Bagdad. They were married in Jerusalem in 1947. After the war, they were offered asylum in London, England where he completed post-graduate studies at the University of London. In 1948, he was invited to Canada by the University of Ottawa to teach psychiatry in the new School of Medicine. In 1949, he completed his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Ottawa and obtained his licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada. A specialist in neurology and psychotherapy, he was promoted to full professor in 1956. In the early 60's, he established a pilot mental health clinic for the state of North Dakota, where he spent four years as professor and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of North Dakota. He returned to Ottawa in 1964 to become Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the Ottawa General Hospital and Professor of Psychotherapy in the Faculty of Psychology. He played a pivotal role in establishing the interdenominational Centre of Pastoral Psychiatry at St. Paul University in Ottawa and became its director. In light of his military experience, he became a senior consultant at the R.C.A.F. Rockliffe hospital where he was responsible for neuropsychiatric service. He was promoted to Wing Commander (Lt. Col.) in the R.C.A.F. reserve in 1959. For over 40 years. Dr. Szyrynski's research and clinical work focused on community and family psychiatry (having developed novel diagnostic techniques in child psychiatry) as well as juvenile delinquency, university mental health services and pastoral psychiatry for clergy of all denominations. An early proponent of preventative psychiatry and the mental health team approach, he advocated tirelessly for prompt recognition and assistance of mental health problems by cooperation among family, community, professional and religious services. Recognizing that police officers are also part of that team, Dr. Szyrynski taught for over 2 decades at the Canadian Police College of the RCMP, covering principles of communication, interrogation and counseling, understanding contemporary youth, addictions and stress. Throughout his life in Canada, Dr. Szyrynski remained dedicated to several Polish-Canadian community organizations as Chairman of the Canadian Branch of the Polish Institute of Arts and Science in America, member of the Polish Research Institute in Toronto, the Polish Combatants Association and the Canadian-Polish Congress. In 1969, he co-chaired the reception committee of the visit of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla to Canada of whom he became a personal friend and maintained a letter correspondence until Pope John Paul II died. One of the lasting gifts he left with the Polish-Canadian community is the Youth Centre at Kaszuby near Barry's Bay, Ontario. There he dedicated the Polish Scouting Association's first camps in the early 1950's, contributing regularly well into the 1990's. These camps continue to attract Polish-Canadian youth every summer, and are an important symbol of Polish culture, values and community. Dr. Szyrynski traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East and East Africa and climbed the highest African summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. He published over 70 articles in neurology, psychiatry, psychology and education, and made over 500 public lectures throughout Canada and internationally, mainly on topics of mental health and education. Professional recognition included Fellowships of the Royal College of Physicians, Canada, the American College of Physicians, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Neurology, the British Psychological Society and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, England. Honours and distinctions bestowed upon him include the Confederation Medal of Canada (1992); Officer and Commander of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1958, 1989); Order of the Holy Sepulchre (1967) and of St. Gregory the Great (1982); Gold Medal of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine, USA (1959) and the Polish Silver Cross of Merit with swords (1945). Dr. Szyrynski is survived by his wife, Jadwiga whom he was married to for 60 years, two daughters, Barbara (Joseph Stachulak) and Theresa Aubanel; five grandchildren, Anna, Christina (Jerome Le Corvec), Sebastien (Claire Deslorieux, Vincent and Alexandre and great-granddaughter, Rose. Gratitude to Dr. A. Gauthier and Mary Tamrat for their dedicated care. In lieu of flowers, donations to the St. Hyacinth Mission Fund would be appreciated. Friends are invited to a funeral Mass on Thursday, September, 27, 2007 at 11 a.m. in St. Hyacinth Polish Church (Louisa & Lebreton Sts., Ottawa). Reception to follow in the church hall. On Friday at 1 p.m., a Mass will be celebrated in St. Mary's Church, Wilno, followed by interment in the Parish Cemetery. Published in the Ottawa Citizen from 9/25/2007 - 9/26/2007