DEATHS

• Published in: Canadian Medical Association journal (CMAJ) Vol. 178; no. 2; p. 255
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ottawa CMA Impact, Inc 15.01.2008
• ISSN: 0820-3946; 1488-2329

Szyrynski, Victor, Gloucester, Ontario; University of Warsaw, 1938, psychiatry. Died Sept. 21, 2007, aged 93. "Dr. Szyrynski was the former head of the Department of Psychiatry at the Ottawa General Hospital. He was born in St. Petersburg, spent his early childhood in Finland and was educated in Poland, England and Canada. He served as a medical officer with the Polish Forces from 1941 to 1947 in Africa and the Middle East. In 1945, he met Jadwiga Szczebiot - a nurse with the Polish Forces in Bagdad, and they were married in 1947. After the war, they were offered asylum in London. After he had completed his graduate studies in England, he was invited to Canada by the University of Ottawa to teach psychiatry. In 1949, he completed his PhD in psychology at the University of Ottawa. In 1964, he became the the head of the Department of Psychiatry at the Ottawa General Hospital. He also became the director of the interdenominational Centre for Pastoral Psychiatry at Saint Paul University in Ottawa; senior consultant at the Royal Canadian Air Force Rockcliffe Hospital and was promoted to wing commander in the RCAF reserve in 1959. He taught for over 2 decades at the Canadian Police College of the RCMP. For over 40 years, Dr. [Smith]'s research and clinical work focused on community and on family psychiatry. Throughout his life in Canada, he remained dedicated to several Polish-Canadian community organizations. He was chairman of the Canadian branch of the Polish Institute of Arts and Science in America, member of the Polish Research Institute, member of the Polish Combatants Association and member of the Polish Congress. He travelled in Europe, the Middle East and East Africa and climbed the highest African summit, Mount Kilimanjaro. He published over 70 articles, and delivered over 500 lectures.