Hospital administrator.
Son of Maria and Daniel Swerhone, his childhood was spent at Canora, Saskatchewan. He received a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Saskatchewan and a graduate degree in Hospital Administration at the University of Toronto. He worked at the Calgary General Hospital then the Notre Dame Hospital at North Battleford before moving to Winnipeg in 1958 as Assistant Executive Director of the Winnipeg General Hospital.
In 1967, he became Executive Director of the hospital and he oversaw its conversion to the Health Sciences Centre, the first amalgamation of its kind in Canada. He was the first President of the facility, remaining in the position until retirement in 1985. He also served as Board Chairman for the Holy Family Nursing Home (1976-1978). After retirement he directed the planning and organization of the Northern Alberta Children's Hospital at Edmonton then returned to Winnipeg as Executive Director for five years of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba.
He married nurse Genevieve Marie Miller (1931-2021) in 1956 and they had four daughters and a son. He was President of the Red River Exhibition Association (1964-1966). In recognition of his community service, he received a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977), City of Winnipeg Community Service Award (1983), American College of Hospital Administrators Gold Medal, and President's Achievement Award from the University of Toronto.
He died at Winnipeg on 24 July 2016.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 26 July 2016.
Obituary [Genevieve Marie Swerhone], Winnipeg Free Press, 27 November 2021.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 11 October 2024
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