Son of a theological professor at Ormond, Scotty changed allegiances when he arrived at Queen’s as a third-year medical student in 1950. He immediately plunged himself into College life and among other roles was captain of the first XI in 1952. Scotty’s illustrious career as a surgeon was spent for the most part at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he pioneered important techniques in cardio-vascular surgery. He maintained the highest possible standards and passed them down to the many younger surgeons that he mentored. He headed two Royal Melbourne surgical teams during the Vietnam war and subsequently also taught and practiced surgery in other developing countries. He was President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1985–87 and a fine portrait of him hangs in the College’s building in the Melbourne CBD. His services to others and to society were honoured by the award of the Order of Australia in 1988.
Scotty was elected a Fellow of Queen’s College in 1992. He was among the College’s most devoted alumni, never missing a Fellows’ meeting, a Wyvern dinner or a chapel service if he possibly could. His quirky, always self-deprecating sense of humour will not soon be forgotten. It was most fitting that he received the inaugural Wyvern of the year award in 2014. If it had been up to him, he would have refused the award. But fortunately, at least on that occasion, we were able to persuade him otherwise. It was completely consistent with his life and character that he donated his body for medical research and announced his own passing in The Age.
Vale, Scotty. We already miss you greatly.

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