John MAHON

MAHON, John Douglas, MD, FRCS
1919 - 2011
John Mahon was born on May 12, 1919 in Taber Alberta and died in Calgary, Alberta on October 15, 2011. John was raised in Taber during the Great Depression. He attended one year at Mount Royal College in general sciences and then competed his BSc at the University of Alberta followed by admission to medical school at McGill University. He graduated in 1943 and then served as a Captain and Medical Doctor in the Canadian Army in Halifax and at Canadian prisoner-of-war camps. In 1946, he was discharged from the army and returned to Calgary to practice medicine with his uncle, Dr. Jack Milne and later, his cousin and friend, Dr. Doug Milne. Securing a summer job as resident doctor at the Chateau Lake Louise, John met the hotel's resident concert pianist, Florence Leona Dahl and they were married at her home in Winnipeg in 1948. He undertook further medical training in Edinburgh and Winnipeg and received his certification in General Surgery from the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada in 1955. He practiced as a General Practitioner and Surgeon in Calgary for forty-two years. He was Chief of Staff at the Calgary General Hospital from 1962 to 1963 and later, at the Bethany Care Calgary Centre. John Mahon was an excellent doctor and a committed family man. He cared deeply about his children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren, his patients, his colleagues and friends, the songs of his youth, his sister Esther, his vegetable garden, and most of all, his wife, Florence. He never lost his connection to the Canadian prairie, the values he learned as a boy and young man growing up during the Depression, or his appreciation of a good joke well-told. Death did not come easy to him but he endured the sufferings of old age with stoicism and acceptance. He was predeceased by his mother, Mabel, and father, Cecil, younger sister, Barbara, daughter, Heather, son-in-law, Peter Kemp, and his wife Florence. He is survived by his children, Elizabeth (Dr. Jean-Claude Brodovitch), John (Shelagh Wildsmith), Charles (Dr. Jane Mahon), Patricia (Joseph Finn), Dr. Jeffrey Mahon (Dr. Elaine Rowe) Dr. Mary Mahon (Rev. Clint Mooney); his grandchildren, Abigail, Sophie, Jeffrey, Marthe, Freya, Michael, Sarah, Elizabeth, Jack, Thomas, Charlie, Frances, Lewis, Patrick, Rosemary, and William; his great grandchildren, Linea, Toby, and Iris; and his sister and friend, Esther Sanden. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Matthew's United Church ( 2035 - 26A Street S.W., www.st-matthews-uc.org ) on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. Graveside service to follow at Queen's Park Cemetery. Photo's, memories and condolences may be shared with Dr. Mahon's family through www.evanjstrong.com . In lieu of flowers, donations to the Salvation Army (420 - 9 Avenue S.E., Calgary AB, T2G 0R9 Telephone: 403-410-1111, www.salvationarmy.ca ) would be appreciated. Arrangements in care of EVAN J. STRONG FUNERAL SERVICES. Telephone: 403-265-1199.