Obituary of Harold Wayne Touchie

With great sadness, the family of Harold Wayne Touchie share the news of his passing on January 13^th at Hospice House, in Fredericton, at the age of 82.

Born in 1940 in Renous, NB to parents Bill and Doris Touchie, Harold spent his early years growing up in Moncton where he learned the importance of family, friendship and hard work. He was immensely proud to be named a Beaverbrook Scholar at the University of New Brunswick, where he studied mathematics beginning in 1958. Next, he and the love of his life, Wanda, moved to Halifax where he studied medicine at Dalhousie University and they began their family. Dear and lifelong friends were made during these university years, many of whom Harold continued to have annual reunions with into his late 70s. His medical career took him to Saint John, Vancouver and finally to Fredericton where the family settled, and Harold enjoyed a long career in orthopaedic surgery.  He was an active member of the medical community, recruiting and mentoring new physicians, championing fundraising efforts such as Hip Hip Hooray and was recognized for his work as the recipient of the Garfield Moffatt Medal and being awarded the NB Medical Society Lifetime Membership.

In spite of a busy work life, Harold carved out time for his many interests. Always up for new challenges, he enrolled in photography and cooking classes, took the family on ski trips, and was endlessly working to improve his golf game. His love of golf provided opportunities for travel to countless places, with Bermuda, Scotland and Ireland topping the list. He could relay in exact detail, the layout of each course, where the traps were, people he had met from around the world and of course what little trick he had used to sweet talk his way onto the course! His best advice to all he met was to not put off any chance to travel.

Of course his greatest pride and accomplishment was the family he and Wanda raised. He loved watching his children and grandchildren grow, hearing about their studies, travels and of course always encouraging them to take up the next opportunity that came along. He cherished the large family dinners, which often needed annex seating just to fit everyone in, and inevitably lead to him retelling family stories, always with a laugh and mischievous twinkle in his eye. Endless summer days were spent at the family cottage in Scotchtown on Grand Lake, where he could work on yet another “project”, enjoy a coffee on the deck of the log cabin, or paddle out to his favourite kayak cove. “Grandad Lake” will always be a special piece of heaven for his family.

Harold was predeceased by his wife and best friend Wanda; grandson Isaac Miller; brothers Ernest and James Touchie, and sisters Eleanor Ferguson and Wanda Gayle Touchie. 

He is survived by his five children Jane, Jeff (Linda), Heather (Dominic Blakely), Sarah (Steven Christie) and Megan; his beloved grandchildren Lucy and Ella Miller, Molly and Anne Touchie, Michael and Caroline Blakely, Georgia and Ruth Christie; his sister Connie MacCallum; brother Boyd Touchie, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear lifelong friends.

Harold’s family would like to thank the many caring individuals who helped him in recent years, and are especially grateful to Mary Ellen McCoy who showed care and kindness during the last many years, and always brought sunshine through the door with her. Words of thanks are not enough to recognize the wonderful staff of 4NE and the Palliative Care Unit of the Doctor Everett Chalmers Hospital and of Hospice Fredericton for their tremendous care and compassion.

There will be a memorial service held on Thursday, January 19th at 3:00 pm at the J.A. McAdam Memorial Chapel, 160 York St, Fredericton, NB. A reception will follow at McAdam’s Funeral Home until 5pm. Attendees are encouraged to wear masks. For those who wish to attend virtually, the service will be livestreamed and recorded at this link, https://vimeo.com/event/2790044. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made Hospice Fredericton or the charity of the donor’s choice.