Alexander Donald MacAskill

Alexander Donald (aka "Scotty") MacAskill passed away peacefully at Langley Memorial Hospital on March 23rd, 2014. Born August 7, 1927 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan son of Margaret Aird and Daniel MacAskill, both of whom emigrated from Scotland around the turn of the century. He is survived by sons Don, Doug, Dan and Garrett and grand-daughter Katie.

Scotty grew up in Glaslyn, Saskatchewan and later went to Luther College in North Battleford, Saskatchewan making a host of friends. His father managed and later owned the Beaver lumber yard business that Scotty helped out at during his teen years. He trained for the Canadian military as a young cadet when the Second World War was drawing to a close.

As a young man he enjoyed many outdoor past times such as skating, hunting, fishing, hiking as well as indoor boxing and swimming. Scotty had a creative side too playing piano and later on wrote many short stories although he never published.

One of his loves was learning the history of British Columbia and the southwestern United States; as a collector he was keenly interested in the personal stories revealed in the gold rush times as well as First Nations history.

In 1959 he married Shirley Ann McIntyre and they raised four boys in Trail, BC and later the Lower Mainland.

Scotty studied medicine at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg and interned at Vancouver General Hospital and later specialized in opthalmology at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. He practised medicine as a doctor of opthalmology throughout British Columbia and treated thousands of patients over his 45 year career retiring in 2003. Scotty practised medicine in traditional fashion, taking the time to get to know his patients on a personal basis. His career spanned many BC towns and cities: Trail, Chilliwack, Westbank and Nanaimo. In 1980 he moved his practice to Langley and met many hundreds of local residents over his last 33 years as a doctor.

As an adult Scotty was an avid downhill skiier in British Columbia as well as Colorado. He enjoyed the thrill of helicopter skiing in fresh powder in the Bugaboo Mountains and elsewhere. Dad set many personal challenges for himself such as firewalking in his 60s; he stayed fit and went to the gym well into retirement years. He was known to close friends as "Scotty" or just "The Doc". Scotty made a lasting mark on the world around him and lived life as fully and actively as he could. He will be missed by many. The family invites all who knew him to a memorial service at 2pm Saturday April 5th in the chapel of Sharon United Church in Langley. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Arrangements under the direction of Henderson's Langley Funeral Home, Langley, BC.