Death Notice
John Alexander Foreman
November 2, 1925- December 24, 2016
A gregarious ophthalmologist and ardent Anglican, John Alexander Foreman lived a fulfilling life. He was born to Helen Harvey Foreman and the Archdeacon Clarence Foreman in Waterloo, Ontario, spending his early years there and in Walkerville, Ontario, before moving with his parents and sister, Nancy, to London, Ontario.
John graduated from Ridley College from which he retained lifelong friends and his school sweater which was dragged out to wear on all sorts of inappropriate occasions. He graduated in Medicine from Western University in 1951 and while there joined the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve from which he retired as a Surgeon Commander in 1969. During a brief but colorful chapter in his early career, John Foreman was doctor to the Ottawa Rough Riders before moving from Ottawa to Montreal. He trained and later lectured at McGill University in Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Pathology
During his long medical career in Montreal, he was associated with the Royal Victoria Hospital and had great satisfaction in caring for generations of patients. He worked long hours and often on Saturdays to accommodate their schedules. His office and home were full of sweet and silly gifts from his patients who enjoyed his zany humor and took pleasure in sharing their stories with him.
In addition to the passion that he had for his work, John Foreman had serious enthusiasms. He consistently spent the month of May in Greece where he kept a room in the same hotel in Athens, visited good friends and monasteries, collected icons and, for a while, owned a boat and part of an island. His icon collection was so notable that selections from it were used as Canadian Christmas stamps in 1988. A significant portion of that collection was gifted to The University of Toronto.
Once retired and back in London, John volunteered at the hospital and was an active and long-standing member of the Kiwanis Club. He renewed old friendships and kept an apartment near Talbot Street where his parents, aunts, cousins and grandparents all once lived.
Another great pleasure in John Foreman’s life was his cottage Driftwood, in Muskoka. Designed for him by his architect niece on property inherited from his parents, he spent significant time there once he retired from practice in 1998. He enjoyed the friendship of his community there, many of whom shared worship at Christ Church Gregory which is only a short canoe ride from the cottage.
He worshiped at Christ Church Gregory, The Cathedral in Montreal, The Cathedral in London and St. John the Evangelist in London which was the church where his father served as Archdeacon for over 25 years. John was a steadfast Anglican who derived solace and pleasure from the Anglican service.
Dr. Foreman is survived by his sister, Nancy McKinney, and his niece and nephews Heather (John Pomeroy), Mark (Kris) and Munson (Elizabeth Petticrew) McKinney. The family thanks Arbor Trace Alzheimer’s Special Care Center for their tender care of him in his last years as well as his remarkable friends Mary Ellen Kirk and David Wright. A memorial service will held at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, London in the Spring, date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to any of the churches listed above.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Dr. John Foreman.source
death notice Dr. John Foreman – mortuary notice Dr. John Foreman