Estelle M. Heakes was a Doctor.
1 Estelle Mary Stevens
September 19, 1926 - December 04, 2012
Obituary
Estelle Mary Stevens (nee Heakes), MD, FRCP(C) September 19, 1926 to December 4, 2012 Shortly after midnight, on Tuesday, December 4, 2012, Estelle Mary Stevens (nee Heakes), MD, FRCP(C) peacefully left us in Vancouver, BC. Surrounded by family in her last months, her love for life was the glue that bound us together. Born to Harold Harty Heakes and Mary Belle Heakes (nee McKay) on September 19, 1926, she was their second child and their first daughter.
Always a stellar student, she seemed destined to become a doctor after her tumble from the roof of the family's garage when she watched how the doctor, nurses and a certain physiotherapist (Eleanor 'Nora' Jane Ely) helped with her recovery. When she announced that she wanted to be a nurse like her mother, she was told to be the one giving the orders rather than the one taking them. Estelle was accepted into the University of Toronto’s Medical School in an accelerated program due to WWII. In entering medical school at that time, she was one of a group of pioneering women who increased the number of women physicians in Canada and it took the university over 40 years to match the percentage of women doctors graduating through this accelerated program. While at U of T, she met Arnott 'Pete' Hume MacGregor Stevens, a dashing war vet who was in the year behind her in medical school. While trying to court, these two young student doctors had to grab minutes where they could. As Pete described it, he was always able to have lunch with her in the pathology lab as she waited for her turn to work on a cadaver. They were two of a kind and never lost this ability to eat lunch or dinner as they discussed or watched surgeries, much to their children's horror. In 1947, her mother passed away shortly after Pete had asked for her hand in marriage. In early 1949, much to the delight of Estelle, Nora became her stepmother and as Nora told it, as soon as she had walked down the aisle as the new Mrs. Heakes, Estelle asked her to organize her own wedding in June. She had delayed her wedding to fulfill her father's dream of having a Dr. Heakes in the family, even if it was for only 24 hours. She married Pete the day after she graduated from medical school. When asked how she dealt with the constant changes in her life through children, moves, and her medical career, she said that you had to look at life as an adventure and what an adventure she lived with Pete! They formed an amazing team, supporting each other in their medical careers. However, Pete’s career resulted in numerous moves for the family and with each move, Estelle would temporarily put her career on hold to provide her family with stability. She would spend the first six months after each move to help establish her family in each new location. Only then would she continue with her medical career.
They had five children - Colin MacGregor, David Thomas, Mary Margaret Robson, Marjorie Ann and Robert Duncan; lived across Canada in Ontario, Saskatchewan, BC, Nova Scotia and Manitoba. The family also lived in London, UK briefly and then in Rome, Italy and in Mehlem, Germany. She was a truly loyal partner and nurtured the nest for the five of us. She was the rock of our family unit that allowed us to move from culture to culture and most of all, she was proud of all of us.
The respect Pete had for our mother was incredible and it was in Germany where Pete insisted that she complete her dream of gaining her fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry so she went to London, UK for a 10-week course in neurology at Maida Vale and Queen’s Square Hospital in 1975 in preparation for her return to her studies. When the family returned to Canada, she completed her fellowship in 1978 and opened her private practice. She was licensed to practice medicine in British Columbia in 1951, Ontario in 1953, Nova Scotia in 1963 and Manitoba in 1968. While living in Ottawa, she began to study psychiatry and continued to work in this field, specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry, in Nova Scotia, Manitoba and British Columbia. She was well known and highly respected within the medical community and served as President of the BC Psychiatric Association for a term. She was also an active member of the Federation of Medical Women of Canada and attended international conferences in Europe and Asia as one of its delegates.
Throughout this time, she watched with delight as her family grew as some of her children married and the grandchildren began to arrive. She loved her daughters-in-law (current and ex) Dawn, Jeanette, Diane, Andrea and Cynthia, and her son-in-law, Gordy Robson. Her joy knew no bounds where her grandchildren were concerned: Sue Sawatsky (nee Stevens) (David Sawatsky), Neil, Peter, Laura, Tom, Katie, Andy, Derek Robson (Aimee Murthy), Kira Mansour (nee Summers) (Christian Mansour), Gordon Robson, Will Robson, Herb Robson, Ashley Ross (Pat Knowles) and Sabine Neilson. She even opened her generous heart to accept a “grand dog”, Morag Stevens.
Pete died in 1985 and Estelle concentrated on her painting to help her deal with his loss. She also continued to travel, including a trip to Japan to visit Marjorie that showed her she could travel without her life’s companion. However, her most memorable trips were her painting trips to Corsica and Tuscany. As life seemed to be slowing down for her after she retired, she suffered the loss of her youngest, Rob. The family knew that as soon as she picked up her paintbrush, she would survive this terrible blow, and survive she did!
She began to welcome a new generation of great-grandchildren Emma, Griffin and Estelle “Stella” Sawatsky (who was named in Estelle’s honour), Alexander Mansour, and Laila and Sammy Robson.
She was a devoted wife who had a partner for life and in her passing she will now be reunited with this love. We, her children, were witnesses to her devotion; we are all so blessed to have been raised by this amazing woman with such a vibrant and caring spirit. A truly remarkable woman and a scientist and artist to the end. Memorial donations may be made to Estelle’s favourite charity, Aunt Leah’s, at www.auntleahs.org. A FaceBook page has been created in her memory at: ttps://www.facebook.com/EstelleMaryHeakesStevens.
Granny by Katie Stevens I can see the wisdom in your hands; The love you gave your children, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren. The love my father gave to me, from you. You lay before me sleeping, accepting every breath. Knowing that one day they will come to an end. Yet everyone is welcomed, like an old forgotten friend. I can see the love you've given in the love you do receive. We all gather round to watch and listen to the stories that you weave. I feel so blessed to be here now, this time is a gift. I wonder what you dream of; they must be rich and vivid; Full of love and adventures. My Grannie, the Scamp. I only met the tamed you, the wise you. I would have liked to have met you that day you looked out over the edge of the boat. Or the day you had a sword fight on the roof. I would have liked to have been the friend who you first told of your new love. But then you never would have been my Grandma, and I think I like that best.