It is with great sadness to announce that Dr. Alan John Byrne, born June 6, 1950, in Dublin, Ireland, died at the Oakville Hospital on Jan. 30, 2025, the very hospital to which he had dedicated his professional services over the course of three decades. He fought a long and difficult illness with strength, courage and determination despite the odds against him.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, where he also trained professionally as a Surgeon, and the son of Irish-born and raised parents, he was predeceased by his parents, Francis X. and Angela R. Byrne. After Alan and his parents moved to Montreal in the 1950s to spend his years growing up, he returned to Dublin to train professionally at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Upon completing his training there, he went on to Ottawa, completed his General Surgery Residency, and then finally to Oakville, where he became a Consultant General Surgeon at the Oakville hospital.
Alan leaves his four children and eight grandchildren scattered in Holland, Norway and Canada. He was always thrilled by them and to see and go visit: Camilla Meidell (Michaël and their children, Mia, Julian and Gabriel) in The Netherlands; Karl Kristian Meidell (Anki, Kasper and Emily) in Norway; Conor Byrne (Briar and Elliott) of Oakville; and Siobhan Pilling (Gordon and Holden) of Whistler, B.C.
Alan will also be lovingly missed by his many lifelong friends, and most especially, his "brother" Dr. Murs Gafoor, and his wife, Jocelyne. He is also sadly mourned by his siblings, Dr. Doris Byrne of Oakville, Dr. Rory Byrne (Sonia) of Baltimore, and Fionnuala Byrne Cullen (Peter) of Montreal.
There will be a small private family cremation service for Alan. At a later date, we hope to plan what Alan would love to have (and be a part of) as a "celebration" of his life, minus his enthralling and entertaining storytelling.
Our family offers our sincere thanks to the Professional Staff on 6 Centre and the ICU Nurses and Intensivists, who demonstrated such thoroughly caring, kind, and compassionate attention to Dr. Alan Byrne, and ourselves, during his hospitalization. You are all truly appreciated in the difficult work you perform on our behalf.