Obituary of CampbellAlexander D. Campbell

<h1>Dr. Alexander D. Campbell</h1> 1914 – 2008 Sandy was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan in 1914, to Alexander Douglas Campbell and Marjorie Usher Corbett. He was raised on the grounds of the mental hospital in Weyburn, Sask., where his father was the superintendent. After graduating in medicine from the University of Toronto in 1939, he began to follow his father’s footsteps in psychiatry. After a year or two, he decided it was not the specialty for him, and he began to pursue anesthesiology. He wanted to serve his country during the war but a physical condition caused him to be turned down by the army and the airforce. Finally, the navy accepted him and he spent the years until the end of 1943 in naval operating rooms in Halifax and Newfoundland. At that time, the navy offered to support him in furthering his specialty at Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, supplemented by time in half a dozen of the leading teaching hospitals in the U.S. over a 2 to 3 month tour. Years later, he continued to speak appreciatively of the opportunities he had been given. After the war, he chose to locate in Kitchener, and with a partner became the first specialists in anesthesiology at K-W and St. Mary’s Hospitals. Along the way, Sandy was asked to help start a medical library at St. Mary’s Hospital. This grew into a strong interest in the history of the local medical profession. Over many years, he read every issue of the local newspapers from the first days they were published, searching for any reference to doctors. He had to teach himself to read German in order to handle the earliest editions. The result was extensive files covering every doctor who had practised in the area. Some of this was captured in materials he summarized as biographical sketches of the physicians of Waterloo County from 1824 to 1924. He also regularly contributed to the Waterloo Historical Society’s journal. After he retired from practice in 1984, a broader interest in the history of the profession was satisfied by his time as Chair of the Archives Committee of the Ontario Medical Association. Libraries never ceased to be an important part of Sandy’s life. At one point during his retirement, the Kitchener Public Library pointed out that he had borrowed over 5,000 books in a ten-year period. Beloved husband of the late Mary Campbell (1997); loving father of Sandy Campbell (Janet) of Winnipeg, John Campbell (Anne) of Kitchener, Robert Campbell of Vancouver, Hugh Campbell of Kitchener, Mary Ann Hons (Doug) of Peterborough, Kitty Uffelmann (David) of Waterloo, and Jean Al (Bob Nessner) of Kitchener; loved Papa of Sheila (Giuseppe), John, David (Amy) and Andrew Campbell; Margaret, James and Mary Ellen Campbell; Alexander and Sarah Campbell; William, Michael and Stephen Hons; Paul (Gillian), Annie, Catherine (Ryan), Mary and John Uffelmann; and Theresa (Andrew) and Johanna Al and Robert Nessner; as well as two great-grandchildren. Predeceased by his brother John, and sister Helen McLeod. Friends are invited to share their memories of Sandy with his family during visitation at the Erb &amp; Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo, on Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. A memorial service to celebrate Sandy’s life will be held on Thursday, November 13, 2008 at 11 a.m. in the chapel of the funeral home. A reception will follow in the Fireside Reception Room of the funeral home. Condolences for the family and donations to the Kitchener Public Library Foundation or the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation may be arranged through the funeral home, 519-745-8445 or www.erbgood.com. In living memory of Sandy, a donation will be made to the Trees for Learning Program by the funeral home.