After a wonderful summer filled with visiting family, vacationing and farming, Hamish Nichol passed away on August 23rd, 2009.

Born on Christmas Day in 1924, Hamish grew up at Ericsberg, the family farm near Underberg, South Africa, with brother Bill and sister Marion, who have predeceased him. Soon after graduating from Maritzburg College, he entered the South African Navy and then the Royal Navy, serving as a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Navy in WWII on destroyers in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.  He returned to university in South Africa until 1947 when he won a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge. In Birmingham and London, he studied neurology and psychiatry, before moving to New York to specialize in child psychiatry at the Albert Einstein Institute.

He came to Vancouver in 1961, driving across the country on his trusty Rambler, “Mac the Knife”.  He taught psychiatry at the University of British Columbia and it was at the Faculty Club that he met Christine who became his wife of 44 years. He retired from UBC in 1989 but continued to work at the Pacific Voice Clinic of the Vancouver General Hospital and in private practice, with a busy schedule right until his passing.

The summer they met, he and Christine built a cabin on Thormanby Island, and with his family spent many happy summers fishing, fixing, swimming and running the three-legged race on Sports Day.

In 1977, he fulfilled his passion outside of medicine when he began farming seed potatoes in the Pemberton Valley. For 32 harvests, he enlisted friends and family as planters, sorters, diggers, drivers and reluctant mechanics with the promise of good food and good company.

He was also a hockey and rugby fan, a fisherman and a sailor. He believed himself to have been very fortunate throughout his life, and tried to repay that by helping others in any way he could.  He has been involved professionally and personally in many causes sharing his beliefs in social justice.

He is greatly missed and lovingly remembered by his wife Christine, sons Alan (Jackie) and Craig, sister-in-law Ruth, nephews James, Ross, Malcolm and Keith and their families, and granddaughters Teagan and Brooke.

He leaves behind many friends and colleagues who enjoyed his energy and joy for life. For those who wish to share memories of Hamish, please write to The Nichol Family c/o 113 - 3195 Granville St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3K2.

From Rafe Mair:

Save Our Rivers Society and indeed the entire community lost one its finest in the death on August 23rd of Dr. Hamish Nichol.

I must leave it to others to talk of all Hamish's accomplishments as a healer, a patriot, a potato farmer non pareil. a consummate gentleman and a great inspiration to all of us who knew him and were touched by his gracious strengths.

I can only speak of the short while I knew Hamish in his capacity as a member of the Board of Directors of Save Our Rivers Society. That short period was a very difficult one starting with the famous meeting in Pitt Meadows fighting the despoilers of the Pitt River and its tributaries through what seemed like an interminable Provincial Election through the time we all licked our wounds and vowed to fight harder and as long as it took to save our rivers.

I will remember Hamish as the man one could always turn to when things weren't going well. As one who has been in public life for a very long time I can't overstate how important that is.

I know I speak for all of us at Save Our Rivers Society and for all who were fortunate to be touched by Hamish's presence, when I offer sincere  condolences to Christine and say how much all of us will miss a dear and valued friend.