Obituary for Dr. Kieran "Kerry" Mac Con
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Kieran (Kerry) Mac Con, on April 26, 2023, after a brief but serious illness.
Kerry was born on January 31, 1944, in Galway, Ireland to Dr. Charles and Alice Mac Con. On a swimming scholarship, Kerry’s academic career began at Gormanston College Private Boarding School in County Meath, Ireland. He was a competitive, decorated swimmer (Irish National butterfly champion), a Blackrock diver off the Salthill promenade, and a certified deep-sea rescue scuba diver for the West of Ireland. In his spare time, he enjoyed playing guitar in a band with his mates.
He graduated from the University of Galway with an Honours in Medicine and Surgery in 1968, earning distinctions in public health, pharmacology, and surgery. He furthered his training with two international exchanges in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland and Baltimore, Maryland and three post-graduate positions in surgery, cardiac medicine, and anatomy. He later completed a rare Master’s Degree in Orthopedics from the University of Liverpool in 1974 making him a surgical expert in the correction of pediatric radial club hand and feet.
Kerry obtained his medical fellowships for the United Kingdom in 1972 and later in Canada, in 1978 (Queen’s University), having emigrated to Kingston, Ontario in 1975. Kerry completed his post-fellowship training as a clinical fellow in orthopaedic surgery at Sunnybrook Medical Centre while working as an emergency physician at Toronto General Hospital in 1977.
In 1978, Kerry began his long and successful career at Mackenzie Health (formerly known as York Central Hospital) as Richmond Hill’s first full-time orthopaedic surgeon. He established and developed its Orthopaedic Department. Spanning four decades, doing what he loved most, Kerry was a long-time member of the medical executive where he also served as president. He served as the Head of Division of Orthopaedics as well as Chief of Surgery and Clinical Director, Surgery program (2003-2008). During SARS, Kerry played a critical leadership role at the hospital ensuring the safety of the community, staff, and patients were of utmost priority. Over the years, he was an active participant in the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation’s flag-ship fund raising program Hip Hip Hooray. Kerry also traveled to Northern Canada on more than a few occasions to provide orthopaedic services to remote and underserved communities. Above all else, Kerry loved to provide care to people. He was a devoted clinician that helped thousands of patients regain their mobility and strength to live productive, pain free lives. Nothing made Kerry prouder than helping the injured recover from their ailments.
Kerry was a force of nature. He had a larger-than-life persona that lit up a room, including but not limited to operating rooms, hospital halls and social gatherings. He had the Irish “gift of the gab”. He endeared himself to all with his great sense of humour, charisma, and enjoyed a good “craic”. He was a man who could relate and engage with anyone who shared his love of storytelling.
Over the years, many weekends were spent at the family cottage in Thornbury, Ontario where Kerry enjoyed windsurfing and jet skiing on Georgian Bay, building his concrete monument retaining wall and skiing at Craigleith Ski Club. In later years, he tried his hand at golf and curling. Kerry was also an avid amateur historian, astronomer, and naturalist, and was always interested and engaged in meaningful discussion and dialogue. His love of learning was life-long. His musing and love for erudite conversations will forever be missed. He traveled the world and was fascinated by different cultures and environments. He strongly believed in children’s rights, especially the equal rights of girls across the world. He was a child sponsor for more than 30 years through Plan International Canada.
He is survived by his wife Silvia, his children Karen (Cary Schneider), Laura, Ronan (Amy Mac Con), Douglas, (Erin Mac Con) and grandchildren, Haedan and Alexis Schneider, Fiona and Teagan Mac Con and Alistair Mac Con. He is tragically predeceased by our beloved Bridget Mac Con (2016-2022).
He will be missed by his sister Sheila Mangan, brother Rory (Cathy), former wife Mary, and Silvia’s children Derek (Emma Lindquist) and Ariel Fisher (Jonathan Barkan).
He will be fondly remembered by many friends, colleagues, neighbours, and all the furry friends who knew he carried treats in his pockets, specifically his dog, Hana.
A special thank you to the doctors, nurses, and staff on the acute care and palliative wards at Mackenzie Health, and particularly to Dr. B. Berger.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday June 5th, 2023 from 3 to 7 pm at The Thornhill Club 7994 Yonge St. Thornhill, ON L4J 1W3, in the Hawthorne Room. His family requests that in lieu of flowers, if you are so moved, to please donate in his memory to Plan International.
Kerry was born on January 31, 1944, in Galway, Ireland to Dr. Charles and Alice Mac Con. On a swimming scholarship, Kerry’s academic career began at Gormanston College Private Boarding School in County Meath, Ireland. He was a competitive, decorated swimmer (Irish National butterfly champion), a Blackrock diver off the Salthill promenade, and a certified deep-sea rescue scuba diver for the West of Ireland. In his spare time, he enjoyed playing guitar in a band with his mates.
He graduated from the University of Galway with an Honours in Medicine and Surgery in 1968, earning distinctions in public health, pharmacology, and surgery. He furthered his training with two international exchanges in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland and Baltimore, Maryland and three post-graduate positions in surgery, cardiac medicine, and anatomy. He later completed a rare Master’s Degree in Orthopedics from the University of Liverpool in 1974 making him a surgical expert in the correction of pediatric radial club hand and feet.
Kerry obtained his medical fellowships for the United Kingdom in 1972 and later in Canada, in 1978 (Queen’s University), having emigrated to Kingston, Ontario in 1975. Kerry completed his post-fellowship training as a clinical fellow in orthopaedic surgery at Sunnybrook Medical Centre while working as an emergency physician at Toronto General Hospital in 1977.
In 1978, Kerry began his long and successful career at Mackenzie Health (formerly known as York Central Hospital) as Richmond Hill’s first full-time orthopaedic surgeon. He established and developed its Orthopaedic Department. Spanning four decades, doing what he loved most, Kerry was a long-time member of the medical executive where he also served as president. He served as the Head of Division of Orthopaedics as well as Chief of Surgery and Clinical Director, Surgery program (2003-2008). During SARS, Kerry played a critical leadership role at the hospital ensuring the safety of the community, staff, and patients were of utmost priority. Over the years, he was an active participant in the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation’s flag-ship fund raising program Hip Hip Hooray. Kerry also traveled to Northern Canada on more than a few occasions to provide orthopaedic services to remote and underserved communities. Above all else, Kerry loved to provide care to people. He was a devoted clinician that helped thousands of patients regain their mobility and strength to live productive, pain free lives. Nothing made Kerry prouder than helping the injured recover from their ailments.
Kerry was a force of nature. He had a larger-than-life persona that lit up a room, including but not limited to operating rooms, hospital halls and social gatherings. He had the Irish “gift of the gab”. He endeared himself to all with his great sense of humour, charisma, and enjoyed a good “craic”. He was a man who could relate and engage with anyone who shared his love of storytelling.
Over the years, many weekends were spent at the family cottage in Thornbury, Ontario where Kerry enjoyed windsurfing and jet skiing on Georgian Bay, building his concrete monument retaining wall and skiing at Craigleith Ski Club. In later years, he tried his hand at golf and curling. Kerry was also an avid amateur historian, astronomer, and naturalist, and was always interested and engaged in meaningful discussion and dialogue. His love of learning was life-long. His musing and love for erudite conversations will forever be missed. He traveled the world and was fascinated by different cultures and environments. He strongly believed in children’s rights, especially the equal rights of girls across the world. He was a child sponsor for more than 30 years through Plan International Canada.
He is survived by his wife Silvia, his children Karen (Cary Schneider), Laura, Ronan (Amy Mac Con), Douglas, (Erin Mac Con) and grandchildren, Haedan and Alexis Schneider, Fiona and Teagan Mac Con and Alistair Mac Con. He is tragically predeceased by our beloved Bridget Mac Con (2016-2022).
He will be missed by his sister Sheila Mangan, brother Rory (Cathy), former wife Mary, and Silvia’s children Derek (Emma Lindquist) and Ariel Fisher (Jonathan Barkan).
He will be fondly remembered by many friends, colleagues, neighbours, and all the furry friends who knew he carried treats in his pockets, specifically his dog, Hana.
A special thank you to the doctors, nurses, and staff on the acute care and palliative wards at Mackenzie Health, and particularly to Dr. B. Berger.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday June 5th, 2023 from 3 to 7 pm at The Thornhill Club 7994 Yonge St. Thornhill, ON L4J 1W3, in the Hawthorne Room. His family requests that in lieu of flowers, if you are so moved, to please donate in his memory to Plan International.