Dr. Bernard Jean Francois Perey

Bernard died on the 14th February, 2026 in Halifax, NS at the age of 95. He was born in Paris, France on April 28,1930 to Anne-Marie Marcelle Poete and Jacques Perey. After spending the war years in Normandy, his family moved back to Paris where Bernard entered medical school in 1949. His studies were interrupted when he immigrated to Canada with his remarkable mother and four younger siblings (Francis, Edmond, Daniel and Anne). They landed at Pier 21 in Halifax on January 15,1951 on their way to Montreal. Although almost penniless they settled in Montreal with the help of immigration personnel and generous local Canadians.

Bernard resumed his medical studies at McGill University (MD 1956), earned his MSc. degree in 1960, and trained as a general surgeon at McGill and in Boston. Two of his brothers became engineers and one became a physician.

Bernard married Betty-Lou Anderson in 1957, the beautiful daughter of Scandinavian immigrants. They had four children (Sheryl, Bertrand, Philippe and Gilles) and nine grandchildren (Noah, Vanessa, Victoria, William, Katherine, Elisabeth, Richard, Sophie and Bijou). To date, five great-grandsons have come along.

After the death of his wife Bernard married Colette Flinn (2005) the widow of Justice Ted Flinn. She expanded the family with four grown children (Greg, Jennifer, Bruce and Susie) and six grandchildren (Brittany, Matthew, Liam, Thomas, Jack and Alec). He is also survived by Colette’s sisters; Janet O’Brien (Michael) of St. Margaret’s Bay, and Loanne Metcalf of Christchurch NZ. Colette and Bernard traveled the world and visited more than 40 different countries, but the pandemic and illness put an end to their travels. Colette died in 2021 after which Bernard moved to his Parkland At The Gardens apartment in Halifax until he passed peacefully, the last of his siblings, at home with beloved friends and caregivers around his bed.

For a brief summary of his professional and career membership roles, Bernard was a general surgeon at the Royal Victoria Hospital at McGill for five years before becoming professor of surgery, surgeon in chief and Vice Dean at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Sherbrooke, Quebec (1967-82). He was proud of his contributions to the planning and implementation of public health care in Canada and to the innovative CHUS group practice, at the time the largest of its kind in North America. After 15 years in Sherbrooke, Bernard moved to Halifax, NS to be professor and head of the Department of Surgery at Dalhousie University and the Victoria General Hospital. Bernard was author and co-author of many publications. He retired in 1995.

Bernard was an active member of many professional organizations and occupied a number of positions such as Vice President of the Federation of Medical Specialists of Quebec (1965-67), President of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (1976), President of the Canadian Association of Clinical Surgeons (1975-76), President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (1980-82) and Governor of the American College of Surgeons. Complete documentation can be found at https://prabook.com/web/bernard_jean_francois.perey/3484084

As head of the family, Bernard was a veritable polymath. His beloved personality was awe-inspiring with many deep interests, an astounding range of vivacious activities and a quick-witted sense of humor ever enjoyed by family and friends. Besides exquisite garden projects and charming dinner table conversation, he mastered trade skills from local course offerings that he applied to home and cottage interior finishing, electrical wiring, bricklaying, and natural rock landscaping. When in Sherbrooke, he built his own cottage for family weekend getaways. In later years, Bernard and friends participated in the Chaine des Rotisseurs International Association of Gastronomy with some 21,000 members in 75 countries. In addition to excellent dining together at members’ homes, they hosted professional junior chefs in competitive events. As a locally celebrated wine-maker and salmon-smoker, many looked forward to wine and salmon gifts on his arrival to social gatherings, large and small. Always a sailor, he set sail in the Caribbean a number of times. In his Halifax years he often sailed his yacht, the Deo Gratias, in local waters and on a number of longer journeys. Once, he navigated the entire Atlantic seaboard. He was a lifelong reader of the history, cultures and wildlife of the world. Bernard published a little book of memoirs about his family and early experiences in France and Canada (ISBN.978_0-9868001-0-B). He will be profoundly missed.

Special family gratitude goes to Bernard’s gentle, cheerful and devoted caregivers who lovingly tended him to the last: Jessica Sarmiento, his principal caregiver; Gloria Domingo; Genelyn Reyes; Janine (Jenny-Lynn) Gamboa; and Mary Ann Olivar.

The Pereys are forever grateful to cherished family friend, Hildegard Konok, Bernard's steadfast advocate in his final years.

Memorial donations may be made to the Nova Scotia Nature Trust, or a charity of your choice. A Memorial In Celebration of Bernard Perey’s Life will be at 1pm, August 27th, 2026 at the St. Margaret’s Sailing Club, 5 Foxberry Hill Rd., Glen Haven, Nova Scotia.