Obituary of Brian Holmes

Richard Brian Holmes December 11, 1919 - January 15, 2014 Brian lived a long and productive life and slipped away peacefully one month into his 94th year. He leaves his wife Barbara, his children Richard, Diana, Erin and Katherine, his grandchildren Alexandra, Susannah and Tessa, and his great-grandchildren Malcolm, Ben and Sami. Born and educated in London, Ontario, Brian graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1943 in a wartime accelerated program. After service with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps he obtained post-graduate training in Radiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and M.I.T. In 1950 he came to Toronto on the staff of the Toronto General Hospital and the University of Toronto. In 1956 he became Radiologist-in-Chief at the Hospital and Professor of Radiology at the University. In 1973 he was named Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at U of T and served in that capacity until 1980. He was then appointed Chairman of the Ontario Council of Health. When his term was completed in 1986 he took on the job of advisor for the planning and creation of the first medical school in the United Arab Emirates where he and Barbara resided for two years. Concurrent with this he became one of three auditors watching over the early years of a new medical school at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, a post he held until 1996. Brian served as president of several professional bodies including the Association of Canadian Medical Colleges, the Canadian Association of Radiologists, and the Radiological Society of North America. He was the founding Chairman of the Council for Accreditation of Canadian Medical Colleges, and the first Canadian voting member of its American counterpart. He served on the Boards of Toronto General, Sunnybrook, Princess Margaret, and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals. He was awarded gold medals from both the Radiological Society of North America and the American College of Radiology. He received the Centennial Medal of the Canadian Association of Radiology "for outstanding contributions to Canadian radiology." Brian will be remembered for his dedication to professional life, his deep love of the land, his appreciation of music, a good game of golf, a round of bridge and a stiff libation. Enthusiastic research of his Irish family history became a beloved personal project for Brian and led to his writing and publishing a book called "Old John Holmes of Three Castles Kilkenny." We will miss him. A warm thank you to all the staff at Lakeshore Lodge. A private family remembrance has been held. Anyone wishing to make a donation in Brian's memory may do so to the Alzheimer's Society of Toronto (www.alzheimertoronto.org). Condolences and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymiles.com.