DOANE, DR. BENJAMIN K.
Our dearly loved Ben died on May 5, 2017 at home with his wife and children beside him. Born on May 9, 1928 to Benjamin Davis and Margaret Dod (Williams) Doane in Philadelphia, Ben's family originated in Barrington, Nova Scotia from where his great grandfather sailed on whaling ships in the early 1800s. Ben's first trip to the area was at five years of age and continued every summer, and the family ties to Nova Scotia and Barrington in particular remain strong to this day. Following graduation from Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia he went to Princeton University where he attained his B.A. in Psychology (1950). He attended Dalhousie University for his M.A. (1952) and received his Ph.D. from McGill University in Montreal (1955). Because of his love of Nova Scotia, he became a Canadian citizen in 1957. He studied medicine at Dalhousie where he graduated with his M.D. in 1962, becoming a Psychiatrist in 1967 and then a Neuropsychiatrist. While in medical school he was nominated for and received into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honour Medical Society. Ben served as Assistant Dean of Medicine at Dalhousie from 1973 to 1975 and Head of the Department of Psychiatry from 1975 to 1981. During his career he co-authored many academic papers and was co-editor of "The Limbic System: Functional Organization and Clinical Disorders" in 1986, and "Psychological Concepts and Dissociative Disorders” in 1994.
Ben's life was not one of purely academic endeavours. His favourite hobby was bird-watching and he loved trips to Seal Island off south western Nova Scotia. He was an active member of the Nova Scotia Bird Society for many years and cared very much about the environment, serving with the Nova Scotia Resources Council. Ben was also a curler and long-time member of the Halifax Curling Club. He enjoyed carpentry, building a barn and many other projects at the old family home in Barrington. He loved playing with the family dog, Bodri, spending time at Roseway, and he and Marg gave their children a wonderful home to grow up in. Ben had a witty sense of humour, writing limericks and stories, entertaining family and friends at summer gatherings, and colleagues at annual Department of Psychiatry parties.
He will always be in our hearts. He was a wonderful, gentle and caring person who will be missed by Margaret (Clarkson) his wife of 55 years; his children Heather (Steve Kempton), and Rod (Kim); his grandchildren Nathan Atkinson (Jessica), Thomas Atkinson (Shelley), Katie Atkinson, and Alexandra Doane; his great grandchildren Liam and Halle Atkinson, and Ewan Atkinson.
The family would like to express their gratitude to Drs. Maryse LaLonde, Edith Baxter and Chris MacKnight; pharmacists Harriet MacCallum-Kenty and John Paradis; the VON nurses, Bayshore caregivers and the numerous others who were involved with Ben's care. Your compassion for Ben and his family is truly appreciated.
In keeping with Ben's interest in brain function and research, his brain has been donated to the Maritime Brain Tissue Bank and so, as he did in life, he contributes to medical science after his death. At Ben's request there was a private family burial at Hillside Cemetery, Barrington, Nova Scotia. In his honour, donations can be made to the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia, Doctors Without Borders, or a charity of your choice. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.jasnowfuneralhome.com

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