John Leonard Weeks died in Pinawa, Manitoba, on 15 October 2006. He was born on 10 May in Bath, England, where he received his early education. Joining the British Army as a private soldier in 1943, he transferred to the Indian Army and was commissioned into the 9th Gurkha Rifles. He was demobilised with the rank of captain in 1947 after service in India and the Far East. The provisions made for returning ex-servicemen enabled him to enter St Thomas's Hospital Medical School, where he graduated MB BS in 1953. After appointments at St Thomas' and at St Helier Hospital, Carshalton, he joined the then London Transport Executive in 1955. In occupational medicine, John found a career that, with the exception of a two year spell as a family physician in a remote part of Newfoundland, he served for the rest of his working life. John and his family emigrated in 1958 to Canada, where he worked in the forestry, mining, and nuclear industries until 1992, when he retired.
Describing himself as a “shop-floor plant physician,” he also conceived and implemented major research projects in toxicology and epidemiology. He was a competent administrator but had little patience with self perpetuating administrative complexity. John devoted a great deal of his time and energy to the development of occupational medicine as a specialty in Canada, and was an examiner for the Royal College of Physicians (Canada). From 1989 to 1991 he was president of the Canadian Board of Occupational Medicine. In 1993 he received the meritorious service award of the Occupational and Environmental Medical Association of Canada and in 1995 the health and safety award of the Manitoba Medical Association.
Outside of medicine he was widely read in history, particularly aviation history, and in the arts. For more than 40 years he made his home in the Canadian bush, the wide open spaces of which he much enjoyed.
He was awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration in 1984.
A man devoted to his family, he is survived by his wife, Mari-Ann; children Annika (Peter), Kristin (Bill), Andy (Ila), Bess (Brad), and Bjorn; grandchildren, Vivian, Peter, and Nicole Evans, Dyan and Leigh Weeks, and Caleb and Carl Dowler, as well as great-grandchild, Penelope Van Dorne. He is also survived by cousin Geordie Evans and his family.
His family would like to extend deepest thanks for the kindness of the hospital staff who provided outstanding attention and support to the entire family through his final weeks.
Cremation took place, and in accordance with his last wishes, there was no funeral or memorial services.