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In memoriam
June 19, 2023

Dr. J. Wilfrid Hough

Dr. J. Wilfrid (Bill or Zeke) Hough was the third child of W.J.Hough of Renfrew and Gwendoline Prosser of York, England. He was born and raised in Sudbury, Ont. After a brief stint at St. Michael’s College in Toronto, during which he was forced to leave after contracting scarlet fever, he graduated from Sudbury High School and went on to Royal Military College as part of the first returning class after the Second World War. After graduating with an engineering diploma from RMC and a BSc in civil engineering from Queen’s University, he was stationed at several RCAF bases in Canada before going to Europe as part of the Canadian Air Division attached to the NATO forces.

From April 1953 until January 1957, he was stationed with Two Wing at Grostenquin, France, where he flew F-86 V and VI (Sabres) with the 421 (Red Indian) Squadron. Stationed both at Rockliffe and Uplands bases in Ottawa in 1957, he returned to Europe in December of 1957 after having been selected to train at the Empire Test Pilot’s School at Farnborough, England, as a member of the course of 1958.

In January 1959, he began to fly with the National Aeronautical Establishment, and did flight research with the National Research Council at Uplands. He remained there until he was released from the RCAF on October 31st, 1963. Shortly before, in September of 1963, he entered medical school at the University of Ottawa. He continued to fly as a bush pilot and guide with Laurentian Air Services during the summers while attending medical school.

When at the NRC, he met Beverley MacKinnon whom he married on Dec. 28, 1959. They had two sons, Allan and Jeff.

He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Ottawa medical school in 1968 with a gold medal in pediatrics. After specializing in radiology, he entered private practice with Drs. Bociek, Wickware and Lyle, with whom he practised for 25 years until his retirement.

Dr. Hough lost his wife Beverley in February of 2020. He is also predeceased by his brothers, Tom and John, as well as his sister, Pat. He is survived by his brother, David (Ruth) of Sudbury, Ont. He will be missed by his sons, Al (Joanne) of Russell and Jeff, as well as by his grandchildren, Allison (Kent) of Crysler, Mark (Kayla) of Russell, Jeff (Alyssa) of Ottawa and Sarah (Austin) of Victoria, as well as by his great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Theresa and Thomas, by whom he was affectionately known as "Pops."