A doctor who was raised in Kamsack, and spent a career spanning decades practicing medicine in Kamsack, has retired.
A staff appreciation retirement party was held for Dr. Murray Davies in the hospital staff cafeteria on November 30, where about 60 staff members, retired staff members and hospital auxiliary members assembled to wish him well in the future.
“The farewell retirement function was organized by staff to acknowledge Dr. Davies for his many years of service to the community,” said Lorelee Davis, health services manager with the Sunrise Health Authority. “We were assisted by the hospital auxiliary members.”
Davis presented Davies with a framed portrait of himself which was created by Dustin Wilson, a local artist of Dustin Wilson Art. “This is to show our appreciation for all your years of service,” she said. “It was a lot of fun working with you.”
Dr. Michael Bishop who began his career in Kamsack in 1965 and is retired after 47 years as family physician in 2012, spoke to the assembled crowd.
“It seems like only yesterday that I was working here and I was run off my feet and I was able to convince Murray to come home from Flynt, Michigan, where he had begun working, to work here in Kamsack,” he said. “It was probably one of the better things I have done, because we worked together for more than 30 years.
“Between 1965 and 1995 we delivered 2,000 babies in Kamsack. Murray has been a great friend and a great colleague and a super clinician. He really has the magic when it comes to it.
“You can’t tell him much as he doesn’t take direction kindly,” said Bishop, which brought a huge laugh from the assembled crowd. “But otherwise, he’s perfect.”
“It’s been very enjoyable, I’ve had a great career and it’s been a great hospital to work at,” said Davies. “I really wouldn’t want to work anyplace else. Through the years I’ve worked with many people who have done really good work and it’s been very much like a family.
“That’s one of the advantages of being in a small community. If you live in a large city and work in a big hospital you’re just a number. You do your job, and regardless of how good you do it, it’s not the same as working in a small town where you know everybody you work with and their families too.
“All in all I’ve had a great career and can’t complain, so thank you,” he concluded.
After the large retirement cake was cut and served, along with refreshments, Deb Cottenie, a nurse whose career had her working alongside Davies for many years, read a poem which she had written in his honour. The words conveyed admiration and love from the heart, dedicated to Davies on the occasion of his retirement, and will be printed in it’s entirety in the Christmas supplement of the Kamsack Times.
It was said that Davies may still be seeing patients from time to time at the Kamsack and District Nursing Home and doing locum (temporary physician fill in) work for the current staff of Kamsack doctors when required.
