Dr. George William "Keith" Donaldson
1937 - 2022
Dr. George William "Keith" Donaldson
1937 - 2022
Obituary
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BORN
1937
DIED
2022
Dr. George Donaldson Obituary
Born at Althash farm in North-East Scotland on March 20, 1937, Keith grew up in the Orkney Islands and Grantown-on-Spey before studying medicine at Edinburgh University. While working at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary he met and married Gay and they emigrated together to Kamloops BC in 1969. Keith practiced internal medicine and medical oncology at Royal Inland Hospital and was the long-time head of the Kamloops Cancer Clinic until his retirement in 2003.
Keith enjoyed many happy days with his family at Sun Peaks and Shuswap Lake. He was known for his gentle kindness, his storytelling and birthday odes, his endless enthusiasm for helping with homework, his acute yet understated sense of humour, and his powerful memory of often irrelevant but interesting facts.
Keith is survived by his loving family: Gay, his wife of 56 years, his three daughters, Victoria, Sally (Brad) and Jill (Mike), his five adored grandchildren Harry, Liv, Will, Mandy and Fiona, and his sister Sheina (Roy).
Online messages of condolences may be left at www.Kearneyfs.com In lieu of flowers please consider donating to a charity helping to combat cancer (such as the BC Cancer Foundation or the Canadian Cancer Society) or to an institution helping those affected by cancer (such as St. John Hospice at UBC).
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
8 Entries
Marlene Forrest/Evans
May 12, 2022
My mother June was a patient of Dr. Donaldson at the cancer clinic in Kamloops. I have fond memories of the empathy and patience he showed my Mom. His guidance and support made her journey with cancer more manageable. A remarkable doctor and gentleman.
With sincere condolences
Marlene Evans
Diane Blake
May 11, 2022
My sincere condolences to Gay & all your family during this very
sad time.
I have many fond memories of Dr. Donaldson when I worked on 6 North RIH. He was kind & supportive to his patients & all the staff. We learned from the very best. Diane Blake
Judy and Walter Trkla
May 1, 2022
Dear Gay, Victoria, Sally, Jill, and family
A late expression of shared sorrow on the loss of a good man who was a hero to many whose life he prolonged, and an icon to the Donaldson family.
While reading about the passing of Chief Dan George, "after such a life, his death was a small thing"
We are fortunate to have had such husbands and fathers in our lives, particularly someone who grew up in the wind-swept Orkney Islands where strength, character and a giving nature is passed on from generation to generation that we know exist in his "girls" that touched our life when they were students at Kam-High.
Our sincere condolences and best wishes
Judy and Walter Trkla
Reno and Marie Fabbro
April 30, 2022
We were so sorry to hear of the passing of Keith. He was a verty special Dr. to me in my time of need. And Gay, you were special to him with your quick wit and sense of humour.
Condolences to you Gay, and to all your family and may you find peace in the days ahead.
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Dr. Ben Anders
April 28, 2022
To all the Donaldson family:
Keith was a true gentleman and gifted physician with a heart of gold. It was an honour to have known and worked with him over many decades.
I hope you can find peace during this difficult journey.
Ben Anders
cornel wijeyesinghe
April 28, 2022
Dear Keith's family,
I just heard of Keith's demise.
We were contemporaries in Kamloops and I recall his pioneering work in establishing the Medical Oncology program there.
He was always willing to share his expertise and was a conscientious and dependable colleague.
May your memories give you peace and comfort during this difficult time.
Cornel Wijeyesinghe
Jim Downie
April 28, 2022
Sincere condolences to Gay and family.
Jane and Russ Reid
April 27, 2022
We are very sorry to hear of Keith's death. Keith and Gay were so supportive of us when we first arrived in Kamloops very young, and bewildered by our new jobs and move from staid Toronto to the "West". We loved Keith's impish grin, dry sense of humour and of course, his very helpful support to us as colleagues and his excellence in his medical care. We are thinking of the family during this difficult time.
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