DIGBY, John Winniett - Died peacefully at Belmont House with his family by his side on January 31, 2020.
John is lovingly remembered by his best friend and wife Donna (Lough) and his children, Martha, Tom (Paula Pryce), Philip (Tara Detwiler), and Ian (Susan Watson).
Much loved by his twelve grandchildren Jake, Ted, Will, Olivia, Rosemary, Eli, Simon, Hugh, Graham, Emmi, Alec and Madeleine.
He will be missed by his brother Dr. James Digby, and in-laws, the late Barbara and Jack Copeland, Andrea and Bruce Alexander and David and Joan Lough, cousin Mary Knowles, and many loving nieces and nephews.
John was born to Dr. Reginald and Margaret Digby (Bishop), grew up in Brantford, and attended Ridley College (’48). He received his education at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine (’54), then trained in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. He spent six months as the Medical Officer at a Red Cross camp for Hungarian refugees at Wiener Neustadt, Austria, and took a year of further studies in Rheumatology at Cookham Dean, England.
John began private practice at the Medical Arts Building and St. Michael’s Hospital, became Chief of Medicine at Humber Memorial and Hillcrest hospitals, and later had a medical/legal practice until retiring at the age of 84.
John was moved by the fortitude of his rheumatism patients over his half-century career and contributed to new treatments that helped relieve their suffering. Patients said that John had a healing touch, undoubtedly passed down from the three generations of Digby physicians who preceded him.
John enjoyed close friends from the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club, the Badminton and Racquet Club, the Georgian Peaks Ski Club, and the Ojibway Club at Pointe au Baril. He was a lover of the outdoors, an avid tennis player, a fearless downhill skier, a humbled golfer, and a true adventurer and explorer of Georgian Bay. His deep bass musical voice filled out a multitude of local choirs.
John and Donna retired in 2002 to the original Lough family home in Huntsville, Ontario, to enjoy the changing seasons of Muskoka. Thirteen years later they returned to Toronto to Belmont House, where John was fortunate to be physically active and socially engaged, especially playing bridge, up to his final days.
In later years, John’s conversation was filled with laughter and stories from long ago, including memories of the Lido and the Moulin Rouge, meeting Jean Sibelius in Finland, log hauling in Marathon on Lake Superior, and the Varsity Blues football training camp at Couchiching.
John’s love for his children and grandchildren was deep and compassionate, and he took tremendous interest in their lives. He was kind and witty, and had an unassuming steadiness on which his family and friends depended greatly. A keeper of long-held family traditions, he found particular joy in sweet breads and timbales for Christmas brunch.
We would like to thank the many family and friends who have given loving care to Dad. As well, Dr. Sarah Wainberg and the staff at Belmont House, Princess Margaret Hospital, and Rev. Cheryl Palmer.
Please join the family for a visitation on Thursday February 6th, 4-6pm and 7-9pm at Morley Bedford Funeral Home, Toronto. A funeral service will be held at Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St, Torontoon Friday February 7th at 11am with reception following.
In lieu of flowers, Dad requests you make a donation to the charity of your choice.
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