Obituary of William Ralph Robert Awrey M.D.

AWREY, William Ralph Robert, M.D. On May 6, aged 74, peacefully at home in the loving company of his family, after a noble battle with cancer. Loving husband of 48 years to Marion (Liddell), father of Bill (Laura), Wendy (Leif Peng), Margaret (Gary Moerenhout), and John (Brenda), and proud Papa of Duncan and Simon; Meredith, William and Abigail; Emily, Tess, and Josh; and James. Predeceased by sisters Charlotte Francis, and Agnes Terrio and her husband Cliff, brother Herbert and brother-in-law Tom Mair. He will be sadly missed by his sister Grace Mair, and brothers George (Doris), Ralph (Joan) and brother-in-law Jack Francis, and by many cousins, nieces and nephews. Bill was a dedicated and compassionate family physician, serving the Hamilton community for 48 years, where he built a large practice, first at King and Wexford and for the last 25 years at the Parkdale Medical Centre, where he worked as long as his body would let him. He loved golfing, curling, football, ice fishing and socializing with his many friends, many of whom he had been with since childhood. Above all, he poured love on his lucky family, traveling across continents to see all of his children and grandchildren even through his illness. The proud son of Hamilton Tigers coach George Awrey and his wife Charlotte, Bill played football for Delta High School, and later for McMaster, where he completed his undergraduate studies, and Queen’s University, where he studied medicine. Bill was a member of the Hamilton Club, Scottish Rite, and Glendale Golf and Country Club, Hamilton Shriners and Dundurn Lodge. Over the course of his career, Bill had served as president of the Hamilton Academy of Medicine, as a Member of Council for the Ontario Medical Association, a clinical instructor and examiner of peer review at McMaster University Medical Centre, a member of the Canadian Medical Research Council, an attending physician at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre and as a member of the Canada Pension Plan Review Tribunal. The family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Irene Tuttle, the staff and nurses of Community Care Access Centre, the nursing and medical team Clinical Teaching Unit of St. Joseph’s Hospital, and to his loyal and dedicated staff Debbi Tennant, Rosanne Sogan and Betty Ann Mammoletti. The family will receive friends at Donald V. Brown Funeral Home, 36 Lake Avenue Drive, Stoney Creek, on Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Masonic Lodge service Sunday at 8:30 p.m. Funeral Service Monday, May 10 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Columba Presbyterian Church, 1540 Main Street East, Hamilton (Main & Weir). Cremation to follow. Online condolences may be made at www.donaldvbrown.ca