The flights of angels sang George Oliver Taylor to his rest on April 10, 2023, in his 96th year, after a remarkable and beautiful life. George will be sorely missed by his dear wife of 66 years, Margaret (Lerch); and children: Margaret Glanzer (John Glanzer), Markus Taylor, David Taylor and Daniel Taylor (Ellen McAteer); grandchildren: Christopher, Jeffrey, Matthew, Daniel, Shane, Andrew, Robin, Liam, Courtney and Summer. George is lovingly remembered by his many relatives, friends and the thousands of babies he brought into the world through his obstetrical practice.
George was born on Jan. 2, 1927, in Timmins, Ont. The second son of the late Dr. Clifford and Mrs. Margaret Taylor (Caldbick), George is predeceased by his siblings, brothers Lorne and Bruce.
Throughout his career, George served in the medical profession with integrity, humility and distinction. He was much admired by his colleagues.
With a BA in biology and social sciences from the Victoria College at the University of Toronto in 1950, George studied medicine at the Ottawa University Medical School, graduated as an MD, and interned at the Ottawa General Hospital. He achieved an L.M.C.C. in 1955.
He married Margaret in June of 1956, and together they moved to Toronto where he served at the Toronto East General & Orthopaedic Hospital and Sick Children's Hospital. When his father took ill, George took over the family practice in Timmins until 1962. He then took post-graduate training in obstetrics & gynecology at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and, in 1967, he began his practice in Ottawa. George found time to help his community, including many years of service with the Riverside and Salvation Grace Hospital and at St. Matthew's Church.
During the turbulent political years 1979-1982, he served as president of the Ontario Medical Association's department of non-participating physicians of Ontario who insisted on direct dealing with their patients. George did not believe that the federal government would serve as vigilant custodians of the health-care network in Canada and worried that a second tier of preferential health care based on one's ability to pay and not medical need would lead to a national health-care crisis. His philosophical disagreements with government administrators called him to charity work with an order of the Benedictine Nuns in the United States, conducting free clinics and enrolling great numbers of the poor and needy in Medicare. He eventually returned to Canada, where he retained his license to practice medicine in Ontario until his retirement in 2010 at the age of 83.
In 2020, his book was published: Physic: Frontier Medicine in Ontario's North, a testament to his respect for those who dedicated their lives to patients and their families. His cherished values were, indeed, family, honesty and kindness. An avid outdoorsman, and skilled athlete (a trophy-winning boxer known for a strong right hook), George had a true appreciation for life, music, German white wine and his extensive library of classic literature. While George cared for his patients and for every person he met during his long and storied life, his greatest joy was his beloved Margaret and their children who adored him so.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of George to the Theatre of Early Music (temadmin@hotmail.com)would be appreciated.