MICHAEL W. PARTINGTON

MICHAEL W. PARTINGTON 1926 - 2014 We regret to announce that Dr. Michael W. Partington has died at his home in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, on November 10, 2014 in his 89th year, after a long illness. Predeceased by former wife Norah Keats, second wife Sheila Partington, his son Kevin, his brother Bob and sister-in-law Vi and by his niece Jacquie. Survived by third wife Gillian Turner of Newcastle, Australia, his sons Richard (Cindy), Stephen (Gail) and Dominic, his daughter Linda (Robert), grandchildren Maia, Chloe, Felix, James, Sheila and Emily and great-grandchildren Dylan and Ty. Survived also by his step-children Athen Macdonald (Colin), Simon Tunley (Lawrie) and Philip Tunley (Mab), their children Sarah, Charlotte, Alison, Emma, Robin and Jonno, their grandchildren Kai, Callum, Markus and Noah and by dear friend Rayne Tunley. Fondly remembered by his niece Julie, her children Nicole and Adam, by nephew Bob and son David and by grandniece Shelley. Michael also leaves a large extended family in Australia, as well as numerous friends, colleagues, students and former patients around the world. Born January 28, 1926 to Walter Partington and his wife Marjorie (nee Harris) in Sutton Coldfield, England, Michael did his medical training at Barts Medical College and Barts Hospital, London and at the London Hospital Medical College. As a young doctor, he went on to hospital positions in Norwich, where he became a pediatrics specialist and in Sheffield. In 1959, he moved to Canada with Norah and their four children after an invitation by Dr. John Stobo Prichard to join the staff of Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. There he worked both as a pediatrician and as a researcher into mental retardation and developmental disabilities. His interest in the genetic component of brain development occupied him for the rest of his professional life. In 1961, he joined the Faculty of Medicine at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, with funding to do research into children's diseases and subsequently spent many years as a pediatrician in the Angada Children's Hospital unit of Kingston General Hospital (KGH), teaching many courses at Queen's, serving five years as head of Pediatrics, doing clinical outreach in multiple Ontario facilities located as far north as James Bay, all the while continuing to research and develop a deeper understanding of medical genetics. A few years after the death of his second wife Sheila, Michael was drawn to Australia where a job opportunity had arisen that called for his precise skills in order to set up a Medical Genetics Service in New South Wales. In 1989, he settled in Newcastle, New South Wales, with his colleague and new wife Dr. Gillian Turner, a noted medical geneticist herself. Having set up the genetics service successfully, he gave up being its director but continued clinical outreach and research into his early eighties. He then produced two volumes of memoirs: Barts & Beyond (2010), an autobiographical account of his immensely varied professional life, followed in 2012 by a limited-edition, informal history of the Partington and Harris branches of his family. Michael leaves a significant professional legacy with his important contributions to the understanding of genetically transmitted mental retardation such as PKU, Fragile X Syndrome and other X chromosome- related syndromes, one of them being named Partington Syndrome due to his role in identifying and describing it. The medical genetics service he set up in New South Wales continues to flourish and New South Wales is now served by many outreach clinics providing genetics testing and counselling and opportunities for research in the field. Michael published research papers and periodical articles prolifically and was an active participant in numerous international conferences. His Collected Works (1952-2005) are housed for reference in London, Edinburgh and Kingston. Michael was a man of many interests outside the fields of medicine and genetics: he was a lover of art, film, music (from classical to early jazz), reading (from spy thrillers to great literary works), birds, the natural world, travel and good red wine (fittingly plentiful in the Hunter Valley region outside Newcastle.) He also took a keen interest in social and political issues and lamented the conservative bent of so many governments today. In latter years, he divided his time between city and country, delighting in his and Gill's retreat in the mountainous area adjacent to a state forest near Taree, New South Wales. He shared with Gill her concern for the environment and they installed solar panels, planted numerous trees and shrubs and made many other efforts to return what had once been a farm back to its natural state. Their hard work has expanded an existing wildlife corridor and increased the population and diversity of flora and fauna found there. They placed their land under a legal covenant that preserves it as a conservation area and wildlife sanctuary in perpetuity. Koalas may yet be seen there again! Michael lived a full, varied and accomplished life. He will be remembered by many for his fine intellect, wit, sense of humour and deep humanity. Cremation has taken place and a celebration of Michael's life has been held in Australia by his family and colleagues there. Michael's family in Canada will be holding a private celebration of our own soon and, following his instructions, we shall be wearing bright colours, eating well, drinking good red wine, and making merry. So cheers and farewell to a most remarkable man!