It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Richard Nuttall at the Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, B.C. at the age of 81. After living 12 years with myelodysplastic anemia (MDS) he passed away surrounded by love and good care.
Survived by his wife Jane (nee Pickering) of 43 years, dear father to John (Laura), loving grandfather to Andrew and Zelia, brother to Susan Nuttall, brother-in-law to Marylan Nuttall, Judith Davies and George Pickering, and dearly missed by nieces and nephews, Jim (Kelly), Cathy (Michael), Julie (Stéphan), Sarah (Max), Suzanne (Shelley), Marc (Jyoti), Julie (Pierre), Patrick (Kim), Lindsay, Meredith (Jared), Stephanie, and extended family. Predeceased by parents James and Margaret Nuttall, brother Jim, sister Linda Welstead Lazier and son Lt. Andrew Nuttall.
He will be remembered as a gentle, kind soul, caring and compassionate, devoted and supportive to his family. An avid reader, ever engaged in world and community issues. A respected physician, valued colleague, and mentor to many. He enjoyed being a life-long student, completing numerous degrees, earning his last at the age of 72.
Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario he went on to graduate from the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, Ontario, 1961, specializing in Agricultural Economics. Rick’s interest in agriculture remained strong during his life, weaving throughout his many endeavors. He received an MBA from Harvard University, then went into Canadian Foreign Service where he worked as a diplomat posted to Ghana in 1964. As a young man, this was a treasured and exciting time but the lure of studying medicine led him to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland, graduating with the 1974 class. He kept in touch with classmates and was overjoyed to attend the 45th reunion.
Returning to Canada, he worked in Ontario at the Ottawa Civic Hospital and in South River before joining the Medical Services Branch of Health Canada, initially posted to Prince Rupert, B.C. and then Edmonton, AB. At this point, he built a company where he combined and applied his business and medical expertise to a variety of innovative ventures. This was an adventurous time for many years.
For the remainder of his career, which spanned decades, Rick worked in clinical and administrative medicine, for Health Canada in Yellowknife, NWT, in Public Health as Medical Director in Regina, SK, with the Vancouver Island Health Authority, and in Victoria as a General Practitioner on Fairfield Road in Victoria, and Medical Director at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital and Broadmead Lodge. Rick was recognized in his chosen profession and was proud of his initiatives, including bringing medical care to remote, Indigenous and under-serviced communities. He was honoured to receive recognition for Care of the Elderly from the College of Family Physicians of Canada (2016). His medical career spanned 44 years, retiring at age 78.
During these years he completed his Master of Clinical Science, Western University, Fellowship in Family Medicine (F.C.F.P.), Master of Public Health James Cook University, and Master of Agriculture, Colorado State University. In addition, he was a long-time member of the Canadian Public Health Association, and President of the Association in NWT.
After his son’s death serving in Afghanistan, Rick became a vocal advocate for soldiers and veterans, especially in Victoria, where he led the effort to establish the B.C. Afghanistan Memorial.
He enjoyed his work, time and friendships at Cordova Bay United Church. Rick was a dedicated volunteer and supporter of For The Love Of Africa Society, playing a key role in the establishment and operation of a Medical Clinic in Dodoma, Tanzania.
Above all, Rick cherished family the most, often noting pride in his children and beloved wife.
He deeply appreciated the medical staff that cared for him over the years, especially the Royal Jubilee Hospital Medical Day Care Unit. Rick would say he was now a combination of every man and woman after receiving so many blood transfusions.
Donations in his memory can be made to the charity of your choice.
Due to constraints around COVID-19, a private funeral service was held on Thursday, June 3rd, 2021, in the Sequoia Centre at McCall Gardens. Click on the image below to watch the service.
Condolences may be offered to the family at the link below.
McCall Gardens
45 Responses
Dear Jane,
My sincere condolences to you and your family at this painful time of loss. As a classmate I knew Rick from 1968 through the six years at RCSI and then several more as interns and residents at Ottawa Civic Hospital. Always a wise head to us younger ones, Rick helped me with some key decisions in my career including my internship in Ottawa. He was a fun and sincere friend with a kindness that put people at ease in his company. I hope you find comfort in knowing that so many share your sense of loss at this time. RIP Rick, you ran a fine race,
Marcus Coneys,
Class of ‘74
Jane and Family!
My deepest sympathy goes out to Jane and family. I so much enjoyed meeting Rick on my trip to Tanzania with the FTLOA society. He was so compassionate , understanding and of course very, very caring.
I have only very fond memories of Rick and he will be dearly missed by all.
Edith Ritzer
I am deeply saddened to learn of Rick Nuttall’s passing. It conjured up vivid memories of our time together 55 years ago in Ghana. He gave unstintingly of his time and support to my late wife, Islay, and me in helping us to settle in to our first posting at the Canadian High Commission in Accra. He was a fine colleague and friend. Subsequently we had the pleasure of visiting him in Dublin while he was attending medical school there and later a happy reunion at his home in West Vancouver where we had the pleasure of meeting his wife Jane. We sadly did not stay in touch after that and I had not realized that his son Andrew had been killed in action in Aghanistan. What a dreadful loss to endure. Truly his was an outstanding career of care and service for others. My heartfelt condolences to Jane and family.
I knew Rick as a fellow member of the Long Term Care Medical Advisory Committee which we were both on for several years. He was a key member of the group. When Rick spoke, everybody listened because he had so much knowledge and experience and had such a good heart. I never wanted to disagree with Rick as that meant I was almost certainly on the wrong side of an issue. I got to know him a bit better when they started having island-wide meetings and we carpooled together to Nanaimo. I discovered that he was a real people person with a great sense of humour who knew the back story of everything medical in Victoria. I know he suffered tremendously with the death of his son and faced increasingly onerous personal health challenges but he bore those with amazing dignity and grace and if anything it made him even more kindhearted and thoughtful. He was one of a kind and will be greatly missed.
I knew Richard when I served on the Board at Mount St. Mary. He was a great asset to the hospital and the patients. I appreciated his caring professionalism and focus on the well being of the residents.
Dear Jane and Family,
Dr. Nuttall is remembered for his exemplary care of the residents of Mount St. Mary Hospital and his dedication to health care through the stalwart leadership he provided to this organization, as well as, his kind and compassionate nature. He will be sadly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time.
~ From All at Mount St. Mary
So sorry to hear of the sad news of Rick’s passing. My sincere condolences. Met Rick at the 2014 Class Reunion. Resolute, assured and a confident personality. It comes as no surprise that he accomplished so much in the medical field and related charitable work.
Our thoughts are with the Nuttall family.
RIP.
Friends since our time in Ghana, in the 60s. A true gentleman. My sincere condolences to Jane and family. May He Rest In Peace.
Wally Brown
Dear Jane + family,
My condolences to you all. I was lucky enough to work with Rick at The Lodge at Broadmead [that is what it was called when we worked together]. He was a wonderful support to me as I established the Nurse Practitioner role there. Rick helped with my learning and advocated for quality care for the folks who lived there. He was a mentor and I knew I could call him with any questions and he would share his clinical acumen [and good humour]. Thinking of you and of him. I will remember him fondly.
Janice Robinson
Our colleague Rick will be missed as a member of both the Victoria Division of Family Practice and the Victoria – South Island Long Term Care Initiative. His contribution to improving our local health system, for patients and providers, is appreciated.
He always had something to valuable to contribute, informed by his decades of experience and commitment.
Sincerely,
Dr Katharine McKeen
Victoria Division of Family Practice, Co-chair