55 Charing Cross Street
Brantford, ON N3R 2H4
Phone: 519-753-8655
Fax: 519-753-1195
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Obituary for James Digby

James   Digby
Jim passed away peacefully on Sunday March 21st at the Brantford General Hospital, Palliative Care Unit, with family by his side. He came to a quiet end after 93 years of dynamic living and his death brings to a close the four-generation history of Digby doctors in Brantford, Ontario.
Jim was predeceased by his wife, Mary (nee Hope), his son, Jeffrey, and his brother, John. He is survived by his children Janet (Pat McCusker), Peter (Senta Peltekoff) and Graham (Julie Digby), as well as Jeff’s wife, Lolita Digby. He will be remembered by his grandchildren Rebecca Digby, TJ Digby, Sarah McCusker, William Callaghan, Kristine Callaghan and Nicole Digby. He will be greatly missed by his close friend, Sidne Maddison. He also leaves his cousin, Mary Knowles, with memories of their shared childhood.
Jim was born in Brantford and was steeped in family medical lore from a very young age. He attended Ridley College and McGill University, where he graduated from medicine. He completed his training with a surgery residency under Dr. Janes in Toronto and began his surgical work in Brantford shortly after. For much of his career, he practised with the multispecialty Avenue Medical Centre, supported by his dedicated office nurse, Grace Elliot. He also served as Chief of Surgery and Chief of Staff at the Brantford General Hospital. His commitment to medicine never wavered, and he continued assisting at the hospital into his 80s.
Jim followed his passions outside of medicine with similar intensity – tripping in the north, skiing in the west, flying his plane across Canada, cycling here and there and sailing the Caribbean and Mediterranean. His love of the great Canadian outdoors was capped with a dog sled and igloo trip north of the Arctic Circle and his love of flying culminated in skydiving in New Zealand in his 80s. His skiing days ended at Whistler with an inadvertent fall – luckily, he was wearing a helmet! Sailing continued via the old yellow sunfish at the family cottage on Lake Erie. Mary, his wife of 50 years, accompanied him through all but the most extreme adventures, along with Janet, Peter, Jeff and Graham in various combinations. The family trip up the Alaska highway in 1969, with its flat tires, forest fires and fly swat inns, will never be forgotten. Nor will Dad’s renditions of “The Cremation of Sam McGee” as we vibrated along gravel roads in a thick cloud of dust.
Jim was able to live at home and drive himself to the cottage, his happy place, until last summer. As he declined with old age and dementia, he continued to visit the cottage in his mind. When we are there, we shall be keeping an eye out for him! A private graveside service will be held. If desired, ‘In Memoriam’ gifts may be made to the Brant Community Health Care System Foundation - Top Priority Fund (www.bchsysfoundation.org or (519) 751-5510).
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