Dr. Keith L. Moore

Dr. KEITH LEON MOORE

BA, MSc, PhD, Hon. D.Sc (0SU), Hon. D.Sc (WU)  FIAC,

FRSM, FAAA

October 5, 1925 – November 25, 2019

Professor Emeritus, Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery; former Chair of Anatomy and Associate Dean of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father in his 94th year. At the celebration of his 80^th birthday, one of his colleagues said “no one has done more for the teaching of human anatomy than Professor Moore. He has uplifted the anatomy profession with his outstanding and highly acclaimed medical text books. Moreover, his modest down to earth personality and demeanor make him one of the truly great anatomists of his generation”.  Through his anatomy lectures, books, movies and videos, he has had a monumental impact on anatomical medical education, not only at a national, but at an international level.

      He was a member of the Federative International Committee on Anatomical Terminology (F1CAT) for 20 years, a group of 21 anatomists from around the world. This Committee updated anatomical terms that are used by the 60 Member Associations of the International Federation of Associations of Anatomy.

       Dad was born in Brantford, Ontario; the son of Rev. James Henry Moore and Gertrude Myrtle McComb. He grew up in Bethel, Wallacetown, Shakespeare, and Streetsville. His father was a Presbyterian minister and his mother was a musician (Associate of the Toronto Conservatory of Music). Dad was the 4^th of 5 sons: Ross, Neil, Norman,Keith and Grant.

     Dad was predeceased by Marion Edith (nee McDermid) in 2006. She was his best friend, confidante, and loving wife of 57 wonderful years, and their son Warren in 2002.

    Dad will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by his four daughters, their spouses and grandchildren: Pam Moore and Ron Crowe; Karen and Bob Semchuk; Laurel Moore; Kate Moore-DeCarlo and Michael DeCarlo and his 8 grandchildren: Warren’s girls (Melissa and Alicia); Karen and Bob’s girls (Kristin and Chris, Lauren and Blair and Caitlin); Laurel’s children (Mitchel  and Kathleen and Jayme and Brad Barron), and Kate and Michael’s daughters (Courtney and Brooke). Great grandchildren James and Charlotte Barron.

    Dad attended high schools in Dutton, London and Stratford ON. He joined the RCNVR (Royal Canadian Navy Voluntary Reserve) in 1944. He was a Sick Birth Attendant (Paramedic) in the Naval Hospital in Esquimalt BC, and later he was aboard the Castle Class Corvette, HMCS Humberstone when it was in the Atlantic Ocean between BC and the USA.

      He received BA, MSc and PhD degrees from Western University in London ON. He was then awarded a 2 year Postdoctoral Fellowship from the National Cancer Institute of Canada.  Dad was appointed Assistant Professor of Anatomy in 1956, Associate Professor in 1959, and Professor and Head of the Anatomy Department in 1965 in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba.

      In 1976, he was appointed Professor and Chair of Anatomy in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. In 1985, he was appointed the Associate Dean of Basic Medical Sciences. Dad authored 16 anatomy books, 4 of which are still in print and are in 14 languages. He published over 60 papers on his research based on his teaching and research, mainly in embryology (normal development) and teratology (abnormal development). Although he retired in 1991, he remained active by updating his books, attending anatomy meetings, and giving lectures worldwide.

      Dad was dedicated to his family and when Warren joined the Scouts and they needed a leader Dad became a Boy Scout Leader. Because he was not a scout when he was a boy, he took scouting courses so he would know how to keep the boys interested.

    Dad was an avid sports fan and enjoyed curling and golf. He played golf right up until his 94^th birthday.

      Mom and Dad became snowbirds who went to Bonita Springs in Southwest Florida for 6 months every year and Dad played golf at the Spring Run Golf Club.

     Dad was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (FRSM), Fellow of the International Academy of Cytology (FIAC), and Fellow of the American Association of Anatomists (FAAA). Although he received many awards, the ones that pleased him most were the: Henry Gray/Elsevier Distinguished Educator Award from the American Association of Anatomists; the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists; Honoured Membership of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists; American Medical Writers Association Awards; British Medical Association Awards; R. Benton Adkins Jr. Distinguished Service Award, Honorary Dr. of Science Degree (D.Sc) from The Ohio State University, and a Honorary Dr. of Science  from Western University. He received The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal to mark the 60^th anniversary of her Majesty’s Queen Elizabeth 11 accession to the Throne.

   We want to sincerely thank Dr. Michael McConvey, Dr. Kotchetkov, Pam Sparrow and all of the dedicated nurses at RVH that took care of him with such care, compassion, respect and kindness. Dad always had a smile on his face when he went for treatment for leukemia because of their warmth and friendliness towards him.

  As per Dad’s wishes, a private cremation and family service will be held. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Flowers are gratefully declined. Please consider a memorial donation to one of Dad and Mom’s favourite charities: Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie ON, Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Diabetes Association, and the Heart and Stroke Fund.