Graham Gordon

Dr. Graham Rothwell Gordon, Surgeon, St John's officer, NZMA Council Chairman (1977–1988) and NZMA President (1990–1991), was born in Stratford, New Zealand on December 10, 1927. He was the third of four children born to Dr. William Patteson Pollock Gordon and Doris Clifton Gordon (nee Jolly) who ran the medical practice Marire Home in Stratford. His mother Doris was renowned for her contribution to midwifery, obstetrics and gynaecology, and was Director of Maternal and Child Welfare for the New Zealand government’s Health Department.

Gordon underwent secondary schooling at Nelson College, then went on to Otago University to study medicine. While in Dunedin he was elected secretary for the Otago University Medical Students Aassociation (1950). He also joined the Otago University Medical Company branch of the territorials where he was made a captain. He married Barbara Anne Sowerby on December 3, 1952, in Knox Presbyterian Church, Dunedin, New Zealand. He went to England for FRS training, before returning to Stratford in 1957 to join his father brother Ross in the family practice.

Gordon was committed to the family practice and his home town of Stratford for the remainder of his life, also practicing as a part-time visiting surgeon at Stratford Hospital from 1957 until the theatre closed in 1992. He was a police surgeon for over 30 years, an officer in St. John Ambulance, and an honorary surgeon in the Stratford Volunteer Fire Brigade with whom he set up New Zealand’s first rural GP first-response road trauma service. He was also involved in helicopter Search & Rescue work. An executive member of the Taranaki division of New Zealand Medical Aassociation (NZMA) for 19 years, Gordon held the office of secretary and then president. He served as NZMA Council Chairman from 1977–1988, and NZMA President from 1990–1991, being elected a Fellow in 1981.

Gordon was a member of the Presbyterian church, serving as an elder at St Andrews Stratford and being granted the status of Elder Emeritus in 2003. His enjoyed philately and was an accomplished tenor, singing and preparing commentaries for the Stratford Mountain Singers for many years.

Gordon sold his business in 1999 but never retired, continuing his input into local health issues and patient care until a few weeks before his death. In 2000 he was awarding the Stratford District Citizen’s award. Dr. Graham Gordon died on February 29, 2004, aged 76. He was predeceased by his wife Barbara in 1999, and the two of them were survived by six children.