WE LOST A GREAT ONE…

WE LOST A GREAT ONE... B.A. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States With sadness in my heart I report to you today the passing of a great man. A man that was a friend and associate and an over all exceptional human being. He was one of our first columnist at the Central over 30 years ago. Dr. Ken Walker was born in Croydon, England, the son of Walter and Annie Walker. At the age of three, his parents emigrated to Montreal and later moved to Niagara Falls, Ontario. He received premedical training at the University of Toronto and graduated from the Harvard Medical School. He trained in surgery at the University of Rochester, McGill University and later at the Harvard Medical School. He was also a family doctor, hotel doctor at the Manoir Richelieu Hotel at Murray Bay, Quebec, and ship’s surgeon where on his first Atlantic crossing had to remove the captain of his command due to illness. For 25 years Dr. Walker practiced as gynecological surgeon in Niagara Falls and then was appointed to the staff at Toronto Western and Toronto General hospitals. He authored 10 books and was a medical journalist for over 50 years, published by dozens of newspapers in Canada and the U.S. under the pseudonym, W. Gifford-Jones M.D. A strong advocate for women’s rights, medical assistance in dying, and common-sense health, one of his many campaigns was to legalize heroin in Canada to ease the pain of terminal cancer. He was a founding member of The Lincoln Trust and Savings Company. His foundation provided funds to establish the Gifford-Jones Professorship in Pain Control and Palliative Care at the University of Toronto Medical School. He often joked that he was refused admission to the University of Toronto Medical School so was forced to attend Harvard where the admission standards were lower, grateful to be accepted at the Harvard Medical School and even more grateful to graduate. His column stressed over the years the advantages of living a healthy lifestyle. He often wrote about controversial issues, and never as a fence-sitter. As occasionally his columns were rejected by editors, he often expressed the hope that, if there is a Valhalla somewhere, he would own all the newspapers. Dr. Walker enjoyed 70 years with Susan, his wife and constant companion. He will be missed by Susan, his four children and 12 grandchildren. He will be missed and never forgotten. Ken Walker M.D. (W. Gifford-Jones M.D.) February 28,1924 – July 1, 2025