He was a well-known local veterinarian who was part of the fabric of the community.
Gordon Davis passed away last Friday at the age of 95.
Known as a country veterinarian in the best, traditional way, “Doc Davis” cared for all kinds of animals over a great many years, eventually becoming an equine specialist. He was active in Kinsmen, K-40, Standardbred breeding and was a director of the B.C. Racing Commission.
In a 2014 article in the Optimist, Davis fondly recalled his arrival in Ladner on May 24, 1945 after graduating from veterinary college in Guelph, Ontario.
Delta was sorely in need of a large animal vet to service the 150 or so dairy herds as well as workhorses not yet replaced by tractors. Dr. Fred Ottewell, the local vet, had been suffering poor health for some time, so Davis was invited to set up his practice by the Ladner Farmers’ Institute.
The date was well etched in Davis’ memory as it was on the same day he met Genevieve Webb, whom he married just over a year later.
During his vet years Davis was busy at all hours of the day, so busy, in fact, he had a reputation of tardiness in sending out his bill for services.
Davis, whom the late Optimist columnist Edgar Dunning wrote about often, related with wry humour that his retirement in 1991 coincided with the introduction of the GST on Jan. 1, 1991.
“No way was he going to collect tax for the federal government,” he said at the time.
Delta farmer, city councillor and MLA Ian Paton recalls Davis as an imposing figure at six-foot-four, but also a gentle man.
Paton said Davis, who was also the track vet at the Paterson Park harness track, was an important part of the community, adding that, once retired, Davis was a staple of “the coffee crowd” that would regularly get together in Ladner.
Ian Paton’s brother, Dr. David Paton, also a veterinarian, said Davis’ surgical skill was like an artist.
“Veterinarians would come from other parts of the Fraser Valley to watch Gordon perform a new surgical technique for correcting a twisted stomach in a cow. For us farm kids, Dr. Davis’ visit was always an event,” said Dr. David Paton. “Without any doubt, Dr. Davis was 100 per cent the reason behind my decision to become a veterinarian.”
His wife of over 70 years passed away a couple of weeks ago.
