May 21, 1943 - November 21, 2016
Michael Whitehead passed away peacefully on November 21, 2016 at Vancouver General Hospital with his family by his side. He was 73.
Michael was born in 1943 in Liverpool and raised in Birkenhead, England. He attended Liverpool University where he obtained his medical degree. He then attended school in Salisbury and Oxford where he received his fellowship in Anaesthesia. He worked in Oxford for several years until he immigrated to Canada in 1976.
Michael settled in Trail where he began a long, dedicated career at Trail Regional Hospital. He was highly regarded and respected as a doctor and gave much of himself to his job and the people around him. From practicing Anaesthesia to Chief of Anaesthesiology and on to Chief of Staff at Trail Regional Hospital, Michael gave each job his best.
He was instrumental in setting up, along with others, CPR training at Trail Regional Hospital. He also provided an invaluable service to the residents of Trail and surrounding areas through his pain clinic.
He was passionate about teaching others and giving back to the profession he loved. His joy for teaching extended beyond the borders of Trail, taking him as far away as Vancouver and Hong Kong where he spent many years teaching ACLS.
Near the end of his career, Michael volunteered his time by joining Medicos En Accion, a charity operating out of Kamloops, BC. For 8 years he travelled to Guatemala to provide anaesthesia for surgeries on the less fortunate in the local and surrounding areas.
Even after his retirement, Michael continued to practice medicine travelling throughout BC doing locums.
Michael then started volunteering his time in a non-medical field at Trail Regional Airport where he took great pride in guiding planes in for landing and even greater satisfaction in obtaining his bus driver’s license.
One of his greatest pleasures was spending his summers at Kootenay Lake, sailing, hiking, fishing and enjoying time with his family.
Michael is survived by his wife Ruth, his children Sarah, Stephen (Lara), Tracey, Don (Jennifer), Michael (Allison) and Shannon (Kevin). His grandchildren Matthew (Manroop), Landon (Emily), Kyla, Olivia, Grace, Jacob, Ruby, Owen, Taylor, Ayden and Ethan and his great-grandson Enzo. His brother Bill (Rossi), and sisters Sally (Angus) and Liz, and many cousins, nieces & nephews.
Michael was pre-deceased by his parents Ewart and Nance and his brother Robert.
In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations to the Kootenay Regional Hospital Foundation.
A Celebration of Life will be held on December 5, 2016 at 1:00 pm at the Colombo Lodge.