In Memory of
William
Powles
Powles
1919 - 2017
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Obituary for William Powles
William Earnest Powles, M. D., FRCSPC
1919-2017
Bill Powles departed this life on March 19, 2017, in his 98th year, leaving his beloved family - Edith, his wife of 74 years; sons Howard and David; daughters-in-law Francine and Anne; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Born into an Anglican missionary family in Japan, he moved to Canada at age 14, living and studying in Montréal and spending holidays and summers with his Uncle Clarence, a country doctor in Shawville, western Québec, an area dear to Bill’s heart throughout his life. There he met Edith and they married in 1943. Bill obtained his M.D. in 1943 from McGill University and spent two years in the Canadian Army Medical Corps before completing his army service as a mission doctor in Alert Bay, British Columbia. After qualifying as a psychiatrist at McGill he worked at the B.C. provincial health service from 1950, moving to University of Cincinnati in 1958, and taking up a professorship at Queen’s University’s Department of Psychiatry in 1966. He formally retired from Queen’s in 1985 and worked part-time until 1995. In 2007 he and Edith moved to Aylmer (Gatineau), Québec.
Professionally, Bill had special interests in the training of residents and in group methods of psychotherapy, as well as in the basic science foundations of psychiatry, on which he published a textbook. He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, a board member and Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, a founding member and Fellow of the Canadian Group Psychotherapy Association, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.
Bill had many interests: sailing, carpentry, painting (he was a very talented amateur), music (he and Edith were active in choirs wherever they lived and Bill served as choir director on several occasions), travel to exotic and interesting places. Bill and Edith’s hospitality was and is legendary, enjoyed by generations of friends, neighbours, colleagues, students, psychiatric residents, nieces, nephews, and young people of all descriptions. Active in their churches, particularly St. George’s Cathedral in Kingston, Bill and Edith were founding members of Martha’s Table, a restaurant for the disadvantaged.
At his request Bill’s mortal remains have been donated for medical research and teaching. A memorial service will be held in the spring (details: contact powlesh@sympatico.ca). In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to St. George’s Cathedral, Kingston, Ontario, towards upkeep of the historic building and its local and international outreach programs. The family particularly thanks the staff of the “Renaissance” long-term care facility in Aylmer for their devoted attention to Bill in his last years, and the rector and congregation of Christ Church Aylmer for their ongoing support.
1919-2017
Bill Powles departed this life on March 19, 2017, in his 98th year, leaving his beloved family - Edith, his wife of 74 years; sons Howard and David; daughters-in-law Francine and Anne; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Born into an Anglican missionary family in Japan, he moved to Canada at age 14, living and studying in Montréal and spending holidays and summers with his Uncle Clarence, a country doctor in Shawville, western Québec, an area dear to Bill’s heart throughout his life. There he met Edith and they married in 1943. Bill obtained his M.D. in 1943 from McGill University and spent two years in the Canadian Army Medical Corps before completing his army service as a mission doctor in Alert Bay, British Columbia. After qualifying as a psychiatrist at McGill he worked at the B.C. provincial health service from 1950, moving to University of Cincinnati in 1958, and taking up a professorship at Queen’s University’s Department of Psychiatry in 1966. He formally retired from Queen’s in 1985 and worked part-time until 1995. In 2007 he and Edith moved to Aylmer (Gatineau), Québec.
Professionally, Bill had special interests in the training of residents and in group methods of psychotherapy, as well as in the basic science foundations of psychiatry, on which he published a textbook. He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, a board member and Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, a founding member and Fellow of the Canadian Group Psychotherapy Association, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.
Bill had many interests: sailing, carpentry, painting (he was a very talented amateur), music (he and Edith were active in choirs wherever they lived and Bill served as choir director on several occasions), travel to exotic and interesting places. Bill and Edith’s hospitality was and is legendary, enjoyed by generations of friends, neighbours, colleagues, students, psychiatric residents, nieces, nephews, and young people of all descriptions. Active in their churches, particularly St. George’s Cathedral in Kingston, Bill and Edith were founding members of Martha’s Table, a restaurant for the disadvantaged.
At his request Bill’s mortal remains have been donated for medical research and teaching. A memorial service will be held in the spring (details: contact powlesh@sympatico.ca). In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to St. George’s Cathedral, Kingston, Ontario, towards upkeep of the historic building and its local and international outreach programs. The family particularly thanks the staff of the “Renaissance” long-term care facility in Aylmer for their devoted attention to Bill in his last years, and the rector and congregation of Christ Church Aylmer for their ongoing support.