Gregory Yakirov Jarvis M.D.

GREGORY YAKIROV JARVIS, BA, MD, FRCS(C) It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Gregory Yakirov Jarvis. Gregory was born in an area of Eastern Germany-Russia. His father instilled in Gregory a love for Russian language and culture that endured throughout his life. When he lost his father at age 13, the affluent family was plunged into poverty. The young boy worked at several jobs to support his mother and younger brother Sasha: on a book wagon (this began a life-long passion for reading), as a bicycle courier, and as an apprentice mechanic. As life in pre-war Germany became increasingly tumultuous, the family priest sent Gregory to England on a Nansen passport. There he joined the 'British Boys for British Farms' program in the Cotswolds, and his brother soon followed. In 1943, the brothers were sent to an internment camp in Canada. Here, they met an amazing and varied collection of people, including chess masters, poets, artists and many academics. Gregory always felt this experience greatly influenced his life. It was here that he met (future forensic pathologist) Fred Jaffe, who became his life-long best friend. After the war, Gregory settled in Montreal, where he became a tool and dye maker and a draftsman. While working high on the Peace Tower in Ottawa, he made friends among the steelworkers, members of the Iroquois from the nearby Caughnawaga Reserve (now Kanesetakhe). Gregory moved to the Reserve, where he met his first wife, Iroquoian Lilian. After 8 years, Gregory and Lil parted, and he moved back to Montreal, where he built a house in Cote-St-Luc. His neighbour was Irving Layton, with whom he had many passionate discussions. Gregory met his second wife, Anita, at Sir George Williams University. They were both enrolled in a German class, but being fluent in German, were dismissed and told to return in 10 months for the final exam. They walked out of the classroom, talked all night and fell in love. Gregory said he knew then Anita was the 'love of his life'. They married and had two girls, Ingrid and Arianna. They studied medicine in Ottawa and then came to Toronto where Gregory became an ophthalmologist. Gregory was a talented, innovative eye surgeon. His patients came from various cultures who appreciated that he could speak many languages. He was our 'family encyclopedia', and always had a dozen books 'on the go' at his bedside. He was a true multicultural Canadian. Having taught himself French, he believed in the importance of French Canada as an integral part of his adopted country. Gregory will be lovingly remembered by his daughters Ingrid, Arianna and Sheila, whom he considered his third daughter, his grandsons Spencer and Colin, his brother Sasha, his in-laws Ivan and Marika Fellegi and their families, and sons-in-law Jack and Chris. Gregory passed away peacefully at home on February 16, 2011, surrounded by the love of his family and his devoted care-givers, Rosalia, Margaret, Hyacinth, and Rosie. The family would especially like to thank Dr. Harold Berenstein, Dr. Tyrone David, Dr. Eric Horlick, Dr. Christopher Feindel, Dr. Robert Wald and Dr. Vishal Kukreti for their exceptional care. If desired, 'in Memoriam' donations may be made to the Multiple Myeloma Foundation at Princess Margaret Hospital.