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Dr. Henry Litherland passed away at the age of 86 on Tuesday November 27th, 2012 at the palliative care unit of the Vancouver General Hospital. He began his career in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (1944), and flew with an RAF Fighter Squadron as a Flying Officer in Palestine (Spitfires) and Cyprus (Vampire jets) (1947-50) and was a medical officer as a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Air Force Auxiliary (1962-63). Henry received WW II Service Medals and the Active Service Medal (Palestine). He later graduated from Cambridge University with an M.A. and a medical degree. After starting his surgical training in England and marrying Audrey, he immigrated to Canada, completed his surgical training in the University of British Columbia program and settled in Vancouver, where they raised four sons, Paul, John, Simon and Peter. Dr. Litherland has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in healthcare, working as a general and vascular surgeon, an educator, and later was appointed head of the UBC and Vancouver General Hospital Divisions of Vascular Surgery. He was on staff at the Vancouver General Hospital and the University of British Columbia Hospital, and for the past fifteen years, as Clinical Professor Emeritus, has used his experience to train medical students. He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (1964) and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (1969). He was predeceased by his wife Audrey and leaves behind his companion Patricia and her extended family, as well as his late brother Oswald’s family: Susan, Gillian and Geoffrey.

Funeral service to be held at St Mary’s Kerrisdale Church at 2490 West 37th Avenue, Vancouver on Wednesday December 5th, 2012 at 2 pm. In lieu of donations, please support your local palliative care facility or hospice.