In Memoriam

Margaret Phillis Smith (nee Archibald) died peacefully in her 103rd year on March 3, 2023 in Belleville. 

She was a lifelong member of the United Church of Canada and a long-time member of Eastminster United Church. She worked tirelessly on countless committees.

Phillis was a proud graduate from Queen’s. She worked for the inspection board of the U.K. in Canada in 1942-43 inspecting anti-aircraft guns for the army. She was the first woman elected to the Hatley Township Council in the Eastern Townships of Quebec in 1970. She was a member of the Canadian Federation of University Women in Belleville. 

Flower gardening, playing bridge and reading were lifelong pleasures. Her smile, ready laugh, energy, and love will be greatly missed by her two daughters, her son, and grand-children.

Dr. Francis Kenney Tindall passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 15, 2023. He was 83. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Heather Tindall Sr.; six children, Heather Jr., Christopher, James, Zachary, Renee, and Allie; his brother, Chuck, and his wife, Linda; along with his nephew, Ian, and niece, Jen. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Kylie, Maddie, Parker James, Regan, Hunter, Nick, Kenley, and Emma. Frank was predeceased by his parents, Mary and Francis.

Frank was born on Jan. 4,1940, to Mary G. Kenney and Francis G. Tindall Sr. of Syracuse, New York. After graduating high school, he went to Queen's, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce and Economics. He proudly played football for Queen’s and was coached by his father. Following in his father’s footsteps, he became the head football coach of the Royal Military College (1963-1964) and also earned All Canadian End recognition.

During the 1961 Yates Cup Championship game against McGill, he was tackled and fractured his cervical spine, which became his inspiration to be a doctor. He went on to be president of his medical class in 1967 and graduated from Queen’s in 1968. As an orthopedic resident in Kingston, he created the first sports medicine clinic in Ontario and also organized the first medical coverage for high school football games in the province. In 1974, Frank started his medical practice in Brockville, where he established the first orthopedic practice for the region.

He moved to Phoenix, A.Z., in 1985, where he established Arizona Bone and Joint Specialists, which focused on orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. Frank quickly entrenched himself in the community and joined forces with then Scottsdale mayor, Herb Drinkwater, to connect Kingston and Scottsdale as sister cities. He also worked with numerous sports teams, including Arizona State University, the Arizona Coyotes, and served on the anti-doping board for the U.S.A. Track and Field Association.

In 1993, Frank met Heather and they fell fast in love, travelling the world, sailing, scuba diving, and wine tasting. They married on Nov. 9, 1996, at sunset in their backyard and combined their families, bringing together Frank’s three children, Heather, Christopher and James, with Heather’s three children, Zachary, Renee and Allie. Together, Frank and Heather were active on the John C. Lincoln board, helping to raise money annually for various charities.

In 2020, Frank retired after almost 50 years in medicine and spent his remaining time hosting friends and family, strumming his banjo, telling dad jokes and soaking up Arizona sunsets with Heather and their dog Penny. He took his last trip to La Jolla, C.A., for well-needed family time and one last ocean sunset.

Throughout his life, he notoriously cracked jokes with his grown children, made silly faces with his grandchildren, and even pulled some light-hearted pranks on the nurses. He had a great ability to make others smile and his sense of humour will be missed.

George was a husband, father, grandpa, surgeon, football legend, banjo player, joke teller, and cigar aficionado. His laugh and spirit will be sorely missed by his family and friends, as well as thousands of patients he worked with over his medical career.

Bill passed away peacefully Dec. 29, 2022, at Humber River Hospital in Toronto. He was 93. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 67 years, Joyce (née Bradley). He was the loving father of Susan, Sc’80 (Mark); John, Sc’82 (Astri); and David (Ingrid); and the proud grandfather of Anna, Kate, Clara, Matthew, Michael, Katrina, Hewitt, and Graeme.

Born in Vancouver, Oct. 22, 1929, just before the stock market crash and Great Depression, Bill lived to see the 20s in two centuries. He had a peripatetic childhood; his family – father Elwin, mother Gretta, and brothers Jack and Bob (Arts'66) – followed their construction-foreman father to job sites at some of Canada’s major infrastructure projects of the mid-20th century throughout Canada — he attended 12 schools by high school graduation. Eventually, he returned to Pembroke, where his father’s family was from and where Bill always considered home. 

He was a proud 1952 graduate in electrical engineering, working summers as an electrician’s helper on major hydroelectric dams at Des Joachims (“The Swisha”) and Niagara Falls Sir Adam Beck II. He began his career as a young engineer with General Electric in Peterborough, Baie Comeau, Tobique Narrows, and Toronto, where he met and married his love, Joyce, in 1955. They moved to Montreal and Ottawa, before settling permanently in Toronto in 1964. Bill was a consummate and proud engineer, working for major industrial and consulting firms – notably Alcan, Stone and Webster, Kilborn, and Giffels – for much of his career as chief electrical engineer, responsible for the electrical power design of major industrial sites.

In his well-deserved and long retirement, Bill and Joyce enjoyed their grandchildren, spent summers at their beloved cottage on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, and cruised the world, notably including their family of 14 children and grandchildren on five separate occasions. Bill loved reading and spending time watching the Toronto Blue Jays, having given up on his childhood favourite, the Maple Leafs.

Bill was known to all who knew him as a quiet man of integrity, who loved and supported his family, and was unfailingly kind and honest. He will be greatly missed.

James Michael Bennett passed away on Feb. 17, 2023 in Peterborough, Ont., at the age of 83.

He is survived by his wife, Sandy; his four children, Erin Bennett, Jeanne Bennett, Martha Bennett, and Rhys Bennett; and his stepdaughters, Sherry and Heidi; his five siblings, Bill Bennett, Kerry Sharp, Bishop Robert Bennett, Sally Bennett, and Neil Bennett, his 11 grandchildren; and one great grandson.

Mike was such an accomplished person. He was a Professor Emeritus, a true scholar, an author, researcher and dean. He pioneered online course development, accreditation, and delivery in computer science, and engineering and was a gifted lecturer and teacher.

He set an example of hard work, honesty, love and caring of others for his children and grandchildren, academic colleagues, and students. He was a man of faith and humility and truly lived what he believed. As is often the case, the brightest among us are often the most humble.

Everyone loved Mike with his dry and witty humour and outstanding intellect. He was so well read and well-travelled, with exceptional knowledge of classical music, the sciences, history, geography, seven languages, and literature.

He will be remembered for his love of his family, the numerous lives that he touched, and the kind and generous life that he lived.