Surgeon.
Born in Saskatchewan around 1930, son of Walter and Violet Downs, he came to Winnipeg and graduated with a medical degree from the University of Manitoba in 1954. He was a Resident in Surgery and Chief Resident in Surgery (1954-1958) at the Winnipeg General Hospital (1954-1958). After spending two years (1958-1960) studying at St. Mary's Hospital and South Hampton Chest Hospital in England, he returned to Winnipeg and began a surgical practice at the Manitoba Clinic.
In 1966, he joined the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba and served as Head of Vascular Surgeory. He became Head of the Department of Surgery at the Health Sciences Centre (1973-1985) and Professor of Surgery, then Head of Vascular Surgery until retirement in 1997. He continued to work for Manitoba Health until his permanent retirement in the mid-2000s.
In recognition of his community service, he was inducted into the Order of Canada (2002) and he received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002) and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).
He died at his Winnipeg home on 12 January 2023.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 21 January 2023.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 21 January 2023
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