February 14, 1929 – May 26, 2016
Dr. Bill Ibbott died on May 26, 2016 after a battle with skin cancer. He was 87. He will be missed and remembered by his wife of 59 years, Margaret; daughter Susan; sons David and Paul (Margarita); his three beloved grandchildren, Lauren, Hannah and Hayden; friends and relatives.
Bill was academically gifted and hard-working. After high school in New Westminster, he received a BA from UBC in 1950. He went on to medical school at McGill University, graduating in 1954, then completed seven years of post-graduate work in Vancouver, Montreal, London and Oxford, U.K. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, FRCP(C), in 1962.
Bill joined the staff at St. Paul’s Hospital in 1964 specializing in clinical hematology, oncology and internal medicine. While there he established important and life-long relationships with remarkable people, as he had done at McGill. In 1980, Bill made a career change and joined Dr. Don Rix at Metropolitan Clinical Laboratories. He worked there for 20 years, continuing his associations with St. Paul’s (Visiting Consultant) and UBC’s Faculty of Medicine (Clinical Associate Professor) until 1992.
Throughout his career, Bill was a passionate advocate for high quality health care services for Canadians. He got involved in a variety of medical-legal and political processes and held several leadership positions, including: President, Vancouver Medical Association, 1970-71; President of the BC Medical Association, 1975-76; Member, Board of Directors, Canadian Medical Association, 1976-77; Co-founder and President, Medical Legal Society of BC, 1982-84; Chair, Health Care Advisory Committee, Correctional Service of Canada, 1980-86; President, College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, 1988-89 and Member of the College Council, 1981-93. He was appointed to the Medical Council of Canada from 1992-96. Awards for his contributions included a Prince of Good Fellows (VMA, 1985), Honorary Membership (CMA, 1994) and the Silver Medal of Service (BCMA, 2002).
Bill loved the pulse of work and never wanted to retire. In 1999, at age 70, he became Medical Advisor to the Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Woodward’s Foundation and found great satisfaction supporting its charitable activities until 2014.
A West Vancouver resident for more than 50 years, Bill was a long-standing member of Capilano Golf and Country Club, serving as President in 1989. A highlight – and surprise – of his golf career was scoring an albatross on the 10th hole. He enjoyed discussing issues of the day and, later in life, watching activities in English Bay. A warm and generous spirit, he was known for his wonderful way with words. We will miss hearing him ask: ‘Could I offer you a light libation?’
Our family is grateful, beyond words, to the North Shore Palliative Care Program – in both the community and at Lions Gate Hospital – that supported Bill in his final months. Deepest thanks go to some exceptional nurses, notably: Angela, Catharine, Cindy, Donna, Eden, Gillian, Julie, Sandra, Scott, and Sonia. Thanks also to Dr. Andrew Sear. A Celebration of Bill’s Life will take place at Capilano Golf and Country Club on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 3 p.m.
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