Add a Memory
Send Flowers
Make a Donation
Harold COLBURN Obituary
1926 - 2011
It is with great sadness we announce the sudden, but peaceful, death of Harold Nelson Colburn on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 - the day following his 85th birthday. Harold is survived by the love of his life, his beloved wife of 63 years Margaret (Peggy) Hopper; his loving children Kathleen (Robert Paterson), Colleen, Mary Louise, Janine (David Whenham) and Dianne (Roland Post); his cherished grandchildren Lindsay, Jennifer and Kyle Paterson, Gregory and Julia Levesque, Cara Whiting, Jasmine, William and Alison Whenham, Jessica Faulkner, Brian and Kaitlyn Addley and great grand-daughter Elizabeth Whenham. Dear brother of Shirley and brother-in-law of Douglas Walmsley. He will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by all. Harold was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba where he spent his formative years. After a short-lived stint in the Canadian Armed Forces, Harold attended the University of Manitoba where he completed his medical studies and graduated in June 1951. The early years of Harold's medical career were spent serving native communities in northern Manitoba, a vocation which presented a multitude of interesting opportunities and experiences, and which suited his humanitarian spirit very well. Later years were spent in Ottawa in the area of Public Health where Harold pioneered early Smoking and Health, and Healthy Lifestyle initiatives and legislation. Harold retired from the Federal Government in 1986 after a varied and distinguished career. In retirement Harold enjoyed the simple pleasures of the world around him in lengthy daily walks throughout the Westboro area and beyond. It was the wish of the deceased that no visitation or funeral be held. A private family memorial will follow at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association, Doctors without Borders or the Canadian Wildlife Federation would be greatly appreciated.
On-line life stories, tributes and/or
condolences may be made at
www.colefuneralservices.com .
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
3 Entries
Byron Rogers
July 23, 2012
Only very recently did I learn of Dr. Colburn's passing. I'd like to offer belated condolences to his family and to say that Dr.Harold N. Colburn was a pioneer in public service in his efforts to put the 'smoking and health' issue on the policy map. In March of this year his colleague Owen Donald ("OD") Lewis also passed away, aged 92. I worked with OD and knew Dr. Colburn only slightly. I have subsequently worked in tobacco control my entire career at Health Canada. The name of Harold Colburn is well remembered. Since his retirement in 1986, the program has grown far beyond what he might have imagined back in the 1960s and 1970s when he was one of the few to see that smoking had to be combatted systematically...and without blaming smokers. It may never be feasible to eliminate smoking, but thanks in part to his inspiring early efforts Canada has become more successful than most countries and is a recognized leader in reducing smoking and its toll on health.
How you can show support
Send flowers
Consider sending flowers.
Add photos
Share their life with photo memories.
Plant trees
Honor them by planting trees in their memory.
Follow this page
Get email updates whenever changes are made.
Donate in Memory
Make a donation in memory of your loved one.
Share this page
Invite other friends and family to visit the page.
David MacLean
June 10, 2012
Dear Peggy: I saw with great sadness Harold's obituary today (June 10, 2012) in the CMA Journal. Harold was a marvelous public health colleague and friend. I learned so much from him. It was because of knowing and working with Harold in the early 1980's that convinced me to peruse a career in public health. Working with him and Andres Petrasovitis was such fun which included some lovely dinners at your house. Harold made a major contribution to public health in Canada and probably more than anyone else in the country brought the concept of heart health into the main stream of public health thinking in this country. Please accept my sincerest condolences.
Stu Houston
October 15, 2011
The members of the vintage Manitoba medical class of 1951 were all good people, but Harold Colburn and C larence Cohoe were two who were missionaries at heart,, wishing to work where they could do the most good. Harold was such a large man that some internists thought he must have acromegaly (excess of growth hormone extending into adult life, but they were wrong. Harold was just a big man in every good sense of the word. He served the poorest farmers in the province at Vita MB with Dr Walton, then the disadvantaged First Nations people as they are now known at The Pas and Norway House, and then had a distinguished career in Ottawa with the Federal Department of Health. Harold had the satisfaction of seeing smoking rates decline as a result of his efforts and pioneered early changes in Life Styles when those efforts were in their infancy. Sixty-three years as a devoted husband to Peggy and as a father to five tall daughters were enviable. Harold cast a long shadow indeed and he left his mark on health in Canada. Classmate Stu Houston
Showing 1 - 3 of 3 results
Make a Donation
in Harold COLBURN's name
How to support Harold's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreResources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read more
The Five Stages of Grief
They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreWays to honor Harold COLBURN's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more
