peter gray (1954 – 2016) · 2017. 4. 17. · peter gray (1954 – 2016) it is with great sadness...

Peter Gray (1954 – 2016) It is with great sadness that we share the death of our dear friend and colleague Dr Peter Gray in May last year as the result of disseminated melanoma. internship at the University of Guelph. A>er a period in general prac?ce in the UK he moved on to Michigan State University for a residency and PhD. It was there that he also became a diplomate of the ACVA. His return to Australia saw Peter taking a long-term research appointment in respiratory physiology at the University of Western Australia in Perth. He then returned to clinical anaesthesia and joined the team at Murdoch University. Peter’s phlegma?c temperament meant he was ideally suited to anaesthesia, always providing a calm, reliable oasis within the some?mes fraught and frene?c environment of the opera?ng theatre. It was a discipline that was dear to his heart, and his exper?se in respiratory physiology made it his favourite teaching subject. Besides his work, Peter ran a small wholesale greengrocer business and was occasionally late on campus due to having to get just the right type of mango, plum or another load of cabbages for his customers. This undoubtedly contributed to the most wonderful cooking indulged in by both himself and Mary – to the great benefit of all visi?ng friends. He was also a keen cyclist and would o>en watch the weather radar in order best to ?me his ride home. When re?rement beckoned, Peter and Mary built their dream home on the north coast of Tasmania, which was a beau?ful and fiQng last achievement for him. During the building of the house and while doing a locum at the University of Queensland, Peter was diagnosed with stage 4 metasta?c melanoma. While the prognosis was grim, new medica?on gave him extended good quality ?me and he was able to move into his new home as well as help create and enjoy its wonderful garden. Peter has le> many friends. He some?mes spoke of his inability to tolerate fools and wondered whether this was his weakness or strength. We know we count ourselves extremely fortunate to have enjoyed both his friendship and his professional exper?se over the years and miss him dearly. Peter was born in Melbourne and gained his veterinary degree there in 1977. He first worked in Western Australia but soon started travelling around the world with his partner Mary in pursuit of their careers. He specialized in anaesthesia star?ng with an Peter had a passion for both veterinary anaesthesia and teaching and he always considered himself both fortunate and privileged to work in an area he loved so much. Griet Haitjema & Polly Taylor; April 2017

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PeterGray(1954–2016)

ItiswithgreatsadnessthatwesharethedeathofourdearfriendandcolleagueDrPeterGrayinMaylastyearastheresultofdisseminatedmelanoma.

internshipattheUniversityofGuelph.A>eraperiodingeneralprac?ceintheUKhemovedontoMichiganStateUniversityforaresidencyandPhD.ItwastherethathealsobecameadiplomateoftheACVA.HisreturntoAustraliasawPetertakingalong-termresearchappointmentinrespiratoryphysiologyattheUniversityofWesternAustraliainPerth.HethenreturnedtoclinicalanaesthesiaandjoinedtheteamatMurdochUniversity.

Peter’sphlegma?ctemperamentmeanthewasideallysuitedtoanaesthesia,alwaysprovidingacalm,reliableoasiswithinthesome?mesfraughtandfrene?cenvironmentoftheopera?ngtheatre.Itwasadisciplinethatwasdeartohisheart,andhisexper?seinrespiratoryphysiologymadeithisfavouriteteachingsubject.

Besideshiswork,Peterranasmallwholesalegreengrocerbusinessandwasoccasionallylateoncampusduetohavingtogetjusttherighttypeofmango,plumoranotherloadofcabbagesforhiscustomers.ThisundoubtedlycontributedtothemostwonderfulcookingindulgedinbybothhimselfandMary–tothegreatbenefitofallvisi?ngfriends.Hewasalsoakeencyclistandwouldo>enwatchtheweatherradarinorderbestto?mehisridehome.

Whenre?rementbeckoned,PeterandMarybuilttheirdreamhomeonthenorthcoastofTasmania,whichwasabeau?fulandfiQnglastachievementforhim.DuringthebuildingofthehouseandwhiledoingalocumattheUniversityofQueensland,Peterwasdiagnosedwithstage4metasta?cmelanoma.Whiletheprognosiswasgrim,newmedica?ongavehimextendedgoodquality?meandhewasabletomoveintohisnewhomeaswellashelpcreateandenjoyitswonderfulgarden.

Peterhasle>manyfriends.Hesome?messpokeofhisinabilitytotoleratefoolsandwonderedwhetherthiswashisweaknessorstrength.Weknowwecountourselvesextremelyfortunatetohaveenjoyedbothhisfriendshipandhisprofessionalexper?seovertheyearsandmisshimdearly.

PeterwasborninMelbourneandgainedhisveterinarydegreetherein1977.HefirstworkedinWesternAustraliabutsoonstartedtravellingaroundtheworldwithhispartnerMaryinpursuitoftheircareers.Hespecializedinanaesthesiastar?ngwithan

Peterhadapassionforbothveterinaryanaesthesiaandteachingandhealwaysconsideredhimselfbothfortunateandprivilegedtoworkinanareahelovedsomuch.

GrietHaitjema&PollyTaylor;April2017