Pioneer doctor, author mourned
It tells quite a story when being the author of seven books is not the most notable thing in the final chapter of a person’s life.
Dr. Eldon Lee won a Jeanne Clarke Memorial Local History Award for his efforts with the pen, leaving behind a library of a legacy, but his accomplishments as a writer and historian are on the inner pages of his life.
The chief attribute of Lee’s life are the thousands of babies that were born into his hands, and the thousands of women who entrusted their healthcare to this dedicated physician-surgeon.
Lee was devoted to northern B.C., based in Prince George since 1962 but responsible for patients across the breadth of the region. He was, when he first settled here, the only obstetrics/gynaecology specialist north of Kamloops.
His family, despite their grief, spotted a comical glint when he happened to pass away this past Monday, on Labour Day.
As devoted as Lee was to his day to day profession, he was also a champion for northern medicine in the broader sense. As a pilot, he knew better than most the value of building healthcare professional capacity in this area. He was an early advocate for the Northern Medical Program now thriving at UNBC (plus the additional medical professions at UNBC and CNC that complement the doctor training).
For all his efforts and articulations, he was inducted into the Northern Medical Hall of Fame in 2017.
His roots in this area dig deeply, back to his time growing up on a ranch in the Williams Lake area of the Cariboo. Coming to Prince George was like a trip to the big city, back in 1929 when he was but a boy of six.
His first job, in fact, was for the Prince George Citizen when he moved to Prince George that year. He sold newspapers for five cents apiece, usually giving the money to his mother for family matters but sometimes pinching a few coins for himself, buying the occasional candy bar at Candy Allen’s Confection Store on George Street. He even saved enough (75 cents) to get a pair of roller skates from Jake Leith, who had a hardware store on Third Avenue and, according to Lee, probably regretted the transaction thereafter since the boy “made a nuisance of myself” skating up and down the wooden sidewalks.
“I came to Prince George for schooling and to Millar Addition School I went,” Lee told The Citizen in a 1999 feature story.
“The school was situated just west of Connaught Hill and here my academic path was shaped in the formidable presence of Miss Eliza Milligan. She firmly believed that sparing the rod spoiled the child, particularly boys, and soon discerned that my education needed attention particularly when I said zee instead of zed.”
He was born American, so it was a natural mistake. Lee was born on May 5, 1923 in Happy Valley, Chico, California.
His immersion into Canadian culture was forged by the Second World War. Lee flew bombers for the Royal Canadian Air Force, enlisting at age 19 and participating in overseas missions.
His international service to society continued with his education years. He went to universities in the United States and England on his path to medical letters.
The language of medicine is Greek and Lee also became a scholar of Greek (and Latin), holding regular instructional meetings in Prince George for decades as he sparked modern interest in these classic tongues so important still in the world of academia.
His passions for medicine, northern living, agricultural lifestyle, lifelong education, historical story and books was easily matched by his love of family.
He and life-love Marjorie Cartmell celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on Aug. 22.
Along with Marjorie, he is survived by children Vickie (Art) Brown, Barbara (George) Cruwys, Peter (Christine), Stuart (Michelle); grandchildren Sarah, Laura, Ben, Elicia, Brianna, Erin, Amy, Mike, James, Jonah, Emersyn; great-grandchildren Taylor, Kayden, Evan, Mya, Olivia, Robert; and was predeceased by mother Shirley, brother Todd, sons Gerry and Robert.
In 1999 Lee said, “They say it takes a whole village to raise a child and my own experiences seem to confirm this, for I received a lot of love, encouragement and direction from the experiences encountered in Prince George. I trust that this atmosphere continues to this day.”
A celebration of Lee’s life will be held on Sept. 15 at 3 p.m. at St. Giles Presbyterian Church where he was a regular member for many years. A reception will follow.