Peacefully before dinner Bruce passed away.
He was born and went to school in Kingston, Ontario. His love story with Margaret Beswick started when he was ten years old and saw a picture of a four-year-old girl with a big white bow in her hair living 5,777 kilometers away in West Bromwich, England. When he looked at that picture he didn’t know that she would immigrate to Canada with her family thirteen years later, meet him at the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital when he did a summer internship between his fifth and sixth years of Medicine at Queen’s University, ask her to marry him December 24, 1957 and marry her on June 7, 1957 a week after he graduated from Medical School. When he saw the picture of her with her big hair bow, he did not even know her name was Margaret.
They lived in Kingston for several years, then Cleveland, Ohio for a year before going to Vancouver where Bruce did an internship in pathology. Then they moved to Victoria where he took position as assistant pathologist at Saint Joseph’s Hospital. He worked in Victoria Hospitals for over forty years. Margaret and Bruce were true soulmates. They did everything together for 65 years until she passed away on May 28, 2023.
Bruce missed Margaret so much that he has left us to join the love of his life Margaret and his daughter Valerie. He was also predeceased by his parents Dr. William Hay and Edna (Saunders) of Kingston, Ontario, his brother John of Ottawa, as well as his brother Dr. Donald Hay (MD) of North Vancouver, his sister-in-law Janet of North Vancouver, and his brother-in-law Dr. Carmen Johnson of West Vancouver.
He will be greatly missed by his children Cheryl Fraelic (Kim), Frank (Alison), his grandchildren Malcolm Grahame (Renée), Chelsea Hay (Wes), Ashley Webb (Hunter), Liam, and his great grandchildren Parker, Suzie and Amelia Grahame as well as Sadie and Beau Webb.
He also leaves behind his sister Dr. Gwen Johnson (Carmen), his brother Dr. Robert Hay (Sharon), sister-in-law Hilary Hay, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and Margaret’s stepbrother John (Lori). He was predeceased by Margaret’s sister Shirley Nicholson and her husband George.
Thank you to all the staff at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital who cared for both Bruce and Margaret. It made it a little easier seeing some friendly familiar faces. Thank you to Dr. Yip for the great care you gave both Bruce and Margaret. A very special thank you to the nurses at the Saanich Peninsula CRD Clinic for taking such exceptional care of Bruce and Margaret. You became a part our family, especially you Alex. Thank you to Dr. Iwaasa who took Bruce on as a patient after Dr. Pewarchuk retired. Our final thank you goes to Dr. Nicole Pewarchuk for your exceptional care of Bruce and Margaret for all those years. They thought of you as a friend and loved seeing Rex on visits to the office. We have one more special thank you to Dr. Ken Hargrove for the care and friendship you gave Bruce and Margaret over the years.
As Bruce and Margaret have done everything together since they met, we are having a joint “Celebration of Their Lives” at Centennial Unted Church, 612 David Street, at 2:00 pm, on Saturday, August 23, 2025, followed by a reception. Parking is available on David Street or in the parking lot directly across from the church entrance. (Hotel parking lot) The service will also be live streamed.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
This obituary is the property of the “Hay” family and may not be reproduced, distributed, or altered in any way without prior written consent.
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Kym
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Dr. Ralph Our Meds ’58 class has been a remarkably cohesive one. Margaret and Bruce were stalwarts attending our reunions until we lost her two years ago. Now sadly Bruce has joined her, leaving our number further diminished, and missing the both of them. Though living on the west coast, he remained a supporter of his home town Kingston.
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Steven W. Basich To the Family:
Tragically, I only just learned of the passing of my former colleague and friend. I wish to extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to the family.
I had the pleasure to work closely with Bruce many times during his career with Victoria General Hospital. Over those occasions, Bruce and I developed a lasting friendship and shared many interests in common.
Bruce and his wife, Margaret, became dear friends during those years and I shall truly miss his wit and vibrant humour.
Our most recent connection was attending the memorial service of another departed hospital colleague that I shall continue to treasure. While geographic distances, family obligations, the demands of life in general prevented much association following our mutual retirements, the friendship we built together always remained steadfast.
I shall forever cherish the memories that we shared together as colleagues, and will deeply miss my dear friend, Dr. Bruce Hay.
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Dianne Olson My sincere condolences to Bruce and Margaret’s family. In my capacity as Regional Coroner I worked with Bruce for many years. He was the consummate pathologist working quietly and professionally with all the coroners and medical investigators in the Victoria Regional Coroner’s office. Although we worked very hard collaboratively with Bruce and the other pathologists we also enjoyed socializing with them and their partners. Those are very fond memories. It was an honour to have known him. Dianne Olson
I had the wonderful opportunity of knowing both Bruce and Margaret for a few years off and on. They were both extremely remarkable, giving kind and loving people. I wish their families love and respect. My condolences.