Distinguished Resident

May 2000 Table of Contents

DISTINGUISHED RESIDENT

Abaco has many distinguished second home owners and retired residents who contribute considerably to the communities they live in. One such resident is surgeon Dr Raymond Heimbecker, Professor Emeritus of the University of Western Ontario. He and his charming wife Kathleen first came to Hope Town in the 1960's and later renovated a native home to traditional specifications.

Dr Heimbecker's list of awards is most impressive. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and has an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Saskatchewan. He also has a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Dr Heimbecker rates his most valuable work in the field of heart valve replacement research which culminated in the world's first heart valve replacement, grafting a pig's heart for a human recipient in 1962. He also rates highly his five years of voluntary emergency surgery on Elbow Cay.

The home of Dr Ray and Kathleen overlooks a beach on the north side of Hope Town. Tame curly-tail lizards are part of their family. And what does Dr Heimbecker do in his reflective moments? He paints. For years he has done watercolours of his beloved Hope Town and the deep feelings he holds for the settlement and its community exude from those paintings.

Abaco is indeed blessed when proven and distinguished leaders in their fields like Dr Heimbecker choose to retire amongst us and give us the benefit of their experience.

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