Dr. Stanley Hashimoto passed away on December 3, 2106 surrounded by his loving family at Vancouver General Hospital where he served as a neurologist for 45 years. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Terrie; his daughters, April and Lara; his son, Skip (Nancy); and two grandchildren, Roy Stanley and Reid Sheldon.

Stanley was born in New Westminster, B.C. on January 2, 1938 as a 3.5lb premature baby and then endured the struggles of being a Japanese Canadian during World War II. As a child, he lived in Lake Louise and later moved to Calgary where he graduated from Central High. He graduated from medical school at the University of Alberta where he met his future wife, Terrie, who was completing her RN. In 1962, the newlyweds moved to Vancouver where Stanley completed his internship at Vancouver General Hospital. With their first child, April, the young couple moved to Bralorne, British Columbia where Stanley served as the only General Practitioner for this small mining town in order to save enough money to complete his residency program with specialty training.

After 2 years of general practice, the specialty of neurology sparked an interest in Stanley. He saw neurology as a challenging specialty with infinite potential for discovery and understanding as well as advancement of patient diagnosis, treatment, and benefit. So, they returned to Vancouver where Stanley completed his Neurology post-graduate training in Neurology and Neuropathology and a final year at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Stanley joined the UBC medical faculty in 1974 which was the beginning of an esteemed 45-year career of practicing neurology. During this period, Stanley was the director of the post-graduate neurology program (1990-2001) which he described as some of the most rewarding years of his career. Through his tenacity and passion for training future neurologists, he personally raised funds for residents to attend conferences and finance additional learning opportunities, while attending to his private practice and university appointment. He has without doubt shaped the careers of many neurologists who have continued his legacy of compassionate care and clinical excellence.

From 1980 to 2000, Stanley and his close colleague, Dr. Donald Paty, established the University of British Columbia Multiple Sclerosis clinic which has grown to be the largest and most respected MS clinic in the world for its multidisciplinary approach to treating and supporting MS patients. In the latter years of his practice, Stanley expanded the MS clinic reach by establishing satellite clinics in Prince George and Victoria where he would attend clinic regularly.

In recognition of his incredible contributions to the medical field, he was inducted into the Canadian Medical Association and British Columbia Medical Association as an honorary member in 2007. He was awarded Professor Emeritus of University of British Columbia for his dedication to his patients and post-graduate teaching.

Outside of practising medicine, Stanley enjoyed fishing, skiing and tennis. He passed along the passion for fishing that he inherited from his father along to his children who he took on many lake trout and ocean salmon fishing trips. He taught his children the art of fishing and appreciation for the beauty of various fishing spots in B.C. He joined the “50 pound club” at the Queen Charlotte Lodge by landing a large salmon that weighed over 50 pounds. The family spent many winters skiing at Whistler with Stanley leading the charge. In addition, he went heli-skiing with “the boys” in Valemont, making tracks in virgin powder snow. Stanley was also an avid tennis fan and a tennis member of the Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club where he spent many evenings and weekend mornings hitting the tennis ball and enjoying the camaraderie of his many tennis friends. He and Terrie travelled to see the U.S. Open, Wimbledon and the French Open. Fitness was important to Stanley and he was disciplined about exercising throughout his life.

Stanley will be remembered for his high achievements as a diagnostician and clinician and for his many contributions to the specialty of neurology from resident training to caring for his many patients. His kindness, determination, sense of humour and energy will be missed by his family and many friends and colleagues.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Dr. Stanley Hashimoto Memorial Fund in support of the neurology training program that has been established at the University of British Columbia. Donations can be made online at memorial.supporting.ubc.ca/stanley-hashimoto or by calling 604.827.4111 (toll free 1.877.717.4483) or by mail at 500-5950 University Boulevard, Vancouver, B.C.  V6T 1Z3.