With daughters Shannon and Lesley by his side, our beloved Dad passed away peacefully on January 8, 2012. Ted was predeceased by wife, Thelma; sons, Robert (Bob) and William (Bill) and brother, Patrick. He is survived by daughters, Shannon/Richard and Lesley/Randy; grandchildren, Phillip/Julianne, Carmen and Joshua; sisters-in-law Evelyn and Mary and nieces and nephews.
Born in Winnipeg in 1927, Ted spent his childhood in the farming community of Gilbert Plains, Manitoba. After high school graduation he went on to the University of Manitoba where he completed Medical school. Working as an intern in Portage la Prairie one summer, Ted met our Mom ,Thelma, a golden haired piano student who captured his heart. The two were married in 1952.
Ted practised medicine in Saskatchewan and Manitoba before bringing the family to Terrace in 1956, then a rugged up and coming BC forestry town. He returned to the University of Manitoba to specialize in surgery. Upon obtaining his fellowship, Ted returned to Terrace as a General Surgeon where he had his practise until 1987. It a was a very busy and rewarding career that allowed him to come to know and help many of the town’s population. Many a time he was woken in the night to tend to an emergency and family outings were often preceded with a house call while mom, four kids and the family Saint Bernard waited in the station wagon. He was also dedicated to bringing and maintaining Mills Memorial Hospital to the highest of standards.
Ted was very involved civically in Terrace in music and education. He served on the school board for many years, ultimately as chairman. He was also on the committee that laid the foundation for the Northwest Community College. Early on, he was part of a group that brought classical music concerts to Terrace. Once on the school board he made sure a band program was created. He was also was determined to bring a fine arts theatre to Terrace. For his contribution to the school board and music in the area, the theatre was named in his honour as the REM Lee Theatre.
As for hobbies, Ted, though a prairie boy had a passion for the sea and taught himself to sail. He later had a small cabin cruiser that he navigated to Kitimat from Vancouver and where the family enjoyed many Sunday afternoons on the Douglas Channel. Both Mom and Dad had a penchant for travel, visiting Europe, Asia and Africa and encouraged us to do the same.
After Ted retired from his medical practise in 1987, he and Thelma moved to Victoria. Ted worked as a medical consultant for the Worker’s Compensation Board for five years after which he retired for good. Both he and Thelma were avid Symphony goers and took in many other musical performances in Victoria and Vancouver.
Our Dad’s’ final year was spent in Parkwood Manor in Victoria where he received wonderful care and kindness. Our deepest thanks to all of the staff.
A Celebration of Ted’s life will take place in the Spring in Terrace BC. A private family ceremony will take place to scatter his ashes at sea.
When Ted retired from practise, the REM Lee Hospital Foundation was set up for improvements to and equipment for the Mills Memorial Hospital. If you wish, donations in his memory may be made to the Foundation or to a charity of your choice. Condolences may be offered to the family below.
14 Responses
To the family of Dr. R. E. M. Lee:
I would like to extend my sincere condolences on the recent passing of your Dad.
When my Mom and Dad, Arthur and Edelgard Gellert who still live in Terrace told me of the passing of Dr. Lee, a whole wave of memories came back to me of my experiences with a man that I owe my life to.
As a young girl,I had been seeing Dr. Lee in the mid to later part of the 1960’s with complications to my left leg.
During those years, finding a diagnosis was not so easy.
Dr. Lee was diligent and persistent in trying to figure out what was the source of the problem.
An appointment one morning at 10 am had your Dad totally bewildered as to the shape my leg was in.
With his total commitment to his patient, Dr. Lee realized that it was of utmost importance that I needed to be seen by a specialist immediately. He organized a flight out to Vancouver that afternoon for my Mom and I, to be checked at the Vancouver Children’s Hospital where the very next day my leg was amputated.
If it were not for this special man’s attention and compassion, I would not be here today enjoying life to the fullest with my own family.
I was one of 4 children in my family, and with my parents not having much money, coming out to Vancouver to see me during my full year stay out there was close to impossible.
Dr. Lee once again, took it upon himself and was instrumental
in having different Terrace Service Clubs and Organizations
donate airline tickets so my Mom could come out and visit me on occasion.
I feel blessed to have known this special man Dr. Lee.
May your wonderful memories of your life together with your Dad
carry you through this sorrowful time.
Very sorry to here of your loss.
Our condolences to all the family,
Malcolm and Debbie.
Lesley, Shannon and family,
I was sad to read of your Dad’s death. I came to Terrace as a young GP and it was a huge comfort and reassurance to have his tremendous expertise available to me. He was an amazing surgeon and just beautiful to watch at work and he was generous and unassuming with his colleagues. And, of course, he was a model citizen in our small Northern community and he will live on through his work and his initiatives here.
Sincerely,
Niki Barton
Shannon, Leslie and families,
I was very sorry to learn about your dad’s death. It was a pleasure getting to know him and work with him during my early years in Terrace. I appreciated his competence, confidence and sense of humour.
Please accept my deepest sympathy.
Sharon (a.k.a. “the other doctor”) Lee