Matthews, Ross Munroe

Ross Munroe Matthews was born in Port Arthur, Ontario, as the youngest of six sons. He graduated in medicine in 1933 from the University of Toronto. He did his post-graduate training, from 1933 to 1937, at St. Michael's Hospital, St. George's Hospital for Child Study and the Department of Sick Children at the University of Toronto, Hospital of Sick Children and the Ontario Orthopaedic Hospital all of Toronto as well as the Children's Hospital of Boston. He practiced pediatrics in Hamilton and Port Arthur from 1938 to 1940; was a R.C.A.F. Medical Officer in Canada, England and Europe from 1940 to 1945; practiced Paediatrics at a Peterborough Clinic from 1945 to 1969; was staff physician at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto from 1970 to 1972 and Locum Tenens, International Grenfell Association in Happy Valley, Labrador from January to April, 1973. He retired from active practice in 1973. R.M. Matthews was active in educational and medical associations around Ontario. He sat as a member of the Peterborough Board of Education in 1949 and 1950. As well he sat as a member of the Juvenile and Family Court Committee in Peterborough from 1948 to 1961; as a member of the Board of Peterborough Foundation from 1962 to 1970; as a member of the Haliburton, Kawartha and Pine Ridge District Health Council from 1975 to 1979 and as a member of the Board of the United Way of Peterborough and District in 1978. He was also President of Medical Staff in Peterborough Civic Hospital in 1953; Chief of Staff at Peterborough Civic Hospital in 1959; President of the Peterborough County Medical Society, 1959; Chairman of the Section of Paediatrics of the Ontario Medical Association in 1961 and sat as a member of the Board of Directors, Ontario Medical Association, 1962-1968 at which time he also was chairman of the Board in 1964 and President in 1966. He was President of the Canadian Medical Association, 1969, and on the Board of Directors from 1965 to 1971. He sat on numerous other boards and committees. In 1977 he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Trent University. He was married and had 3 sons, 1 daughter, and 2 grandchildren as of 1980. In 1981 he produced "Oft in the Stilly Night" which was a "Recollection of family and friends". He wrote this "For the instruction, some day, of my children and my Aunt Elizabeth's grandchildren". (Taken from: Munro, R.M. "Oft in the Stilly Night.")