Dedicated doctor’s legacy will be treasured
Family members described George as a kind, gentle and respected GP.
Doctor George Gardyne Fairbairn died on 12 June. Many of the older Toti residents will remember him or have been his patients.
Dr Fairbairn was born in Ermelo. He had two older brothers, Douglas and Louis, and two younger sisters, Margo and Maisie. He went to local schools and worked in Barclays Bank in Ermelo before going to Wits University to study dentistry.
When his brother, Louis, was killed at Sidi Rezegh in Libya during the Second World War, he volunteered and joined the South African Army, and was sent to North Africa and the Western Desert, as an artillery and then an anti-aircraft gunner. At the end of the war, he returned to South Africa, and went back to Wits University, but changed degrees and studied medicine. Once completed, he went to Scotland, where he met Irene, who was in charge of an operating theatre at The Royal Victoria Infirmary in Glasgow.
He returned to South Africa and joined Douglas, who had a medical practice in Toti. Irene sailed alone to South Africa, and her and George had a double wedding with Margo and Ronnie Meumann at the Methodist Church in Doonside on 31 January, 1953. They lived in Warner Beach and later St Winifreds. They had four children – Ruth, Fiona, who died at the age of 34, Angela and Alistair.
George had a busy medical practice, with long hours and night calls, and there were no mobile phones. He would often get home after a home visit and would have to go out again, one night returning three times to different houses in Athlone Park. Even when he was off-duty, he always carried his medical bag in his car with him, and gave assistance to many car crash victims.
At one time, he and his partners had surgeries in Toti, Warner Beach, Athlone Park and Umbumbulu where they worked from, as the area they covered was so great. When the orangutans at Toti Zoo fell ill, the local vet suggested calling George, and he looked after them until the zoo closed down and the animals were moved to the Lion Park outside Maritzburg. He once saved a passenger’s life on a flight to South Africa after he suffered a heart attack at 36 000 feet and visited him in a Johannesburg hospital to check on his recovery.
George left his practice in Toti to emigrate to Australia more than 39 years ago, as he believed they would have a better future, and once again joined the practice with his brother Douglas in Springwood. He retired after working eight years in Australia. They returned to their flat in Sea Towers and spent six months in each country to spend time with their family and two grandchildren who still live in SA. “He loved South Africa, and missed the South Coast very much,” said his family.
“He lived a very full life, was always there to help people and will be sadly missed by us and those who knew him. He was a kind, gentle and respected GP.” George is survived by Irene, after 66 years of marriage, Ruth, Angela, Alistair, eight grand children and two great grandchildren.
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