JOHN RICHARD (DICK) MIDDLETON SMITH M.B., B.S., F.C.F.P., O.M.

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JOHN RICHARD (DICK) MIDDLETON SMITH

M.B., B.S., F.C.F.P., O.M.

April 10, 1943 – November 7, 2023

With his characteristic quiet dignity and grace, Dr. J. R. M. (Dick) Smith died at home in Winnipeg, MB, at age 80.



Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Dick spent his early years in Egypt and Cyprus, prior to moving to England. He graduated from London Hospital Medical School, University of London, in 1967. Dick immigrated to Canada in 1972 and practiced in Neepawa, Birtle, and Shoal Lake, MB, before moving to Winnipeg in 1976 as internal medicine resident at Health Sciences Centre.



During clinical work in San Francisco, Dick first saw the effects of what later became known as HIV/AIDS and knew that it was a matter of time before the disease presented in Manitoba. With such invaluable advance knowledge and as Manitoba’s first openly gay physician, Dick devoted his career to the understanding, advocacy, prevention, and care of HIV infection. He provided non-judgmental, compassionate, harm reduction-centred care to those so often dehumanized.



Dick opened Fort Rouge Medical Clinic (1979-1997), Manitoba’s first clinic to specialize in the care of gay men and lesbians. He also helped to found The Winnipeg Gay Community Health Centre (later Village Clinic, now Nine Circles). Dick was a staff physician at Misericordia Hospital (1980-1999) and served on its medical executive as president.



From 2007 until retirement in 2019 at age 76, Dick was the founding physician/medical director of The Gay Men’s Health Clinic (now Our Own Health Centre), and had remained on its board. Dick was a fellow and life member of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and was president of the Manitoba chapter.



Dick was an amalgamation of tender-heartedness, integrity, warmth, generosity, tenacity, and empathy. He was also an environmentalist, a gardener, and a student of literature and history.



While living with pancreatic cancer over the past two years, Dick was grateful to receive a tremendous outpouring of love. He enjoyed time at the cottage and in the yard overlooking the Assiniboine, as well as recording memoirs, and having a last visit to England. Dick was deeply honoured to receive a RRC Polytech honorary diploma and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal in 2022, and the Order of Manitoba in 2023.



Dick is survived by Douglas Arrell, his partner since 1977 and husband since 2009, brothers, William (Brian) and Mark (Jackie), brother-in-law Kenner (Kathryn), nephews, Russell (Laurene) and Tyler, cousins, friends, chosen family Amir, Shayan, and Arezoo, and dog Bella. Dick was predeceased by his parents, Helen Jessiman Wilson (1909-2010) and Oliver Henry Middleton Smith (1910-1973).



Heartfelt appreciation is extended to the angels of MAiD, Dr. Benjamin Goldenberg, CancerCare, Dr. Allen Kimelman, and Quinn of Hunter Funerals.



A Celebration of Life will be held in early 2024. Interment was in St. Vital Cemetery.



Donations may be made to ourownhealth.ca or to “The Dick Smith Fund for the Health and Well-Being of Sexual Minorities” (wpgfdn.org).

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 18, 2023, Nov 18, 2023