Lorne Anthony Daniel Marsh

It is with profound sadness that the family of Dr. Lorne Marsh announce his passing on September 2nd, 2022, in Halifax, N.S., with his loving family by his side.

During his life, many events made a fierce impact on Dr. Marsh.

He was born November 14th, 1950 in Glace Bay, the 11th of 13 siblings.

He became Warrant Officer First Class in the 45th Squadron Air Cadets, where he played trumpet in the marching band and led his Precision Drill Team Squad to win the Nova Scotia Championship. He fondly remembered playing the Last Post at the Remembrance Day Ceremonies, feeling chills from the sombre, relevant notes piercing the cold November air.

The Glace Bay Rotary Club awarded him a trip to Europe—a big eye opener for a boy from a small place—but nothing put a bigger smile on his face than winning the Cape Breton Public Speaking Contest, judged by well-renowned radio and TV personality, Ann Terry MacLellan.

At Reserve District High School, he was President of the Student Council, Editor of the yearbook, and played hockey and soccer. He received a McConnell Scholarship to McGill University and later the NRC Scholarship to study his own theory on ‘the origins of cleft palates’.

After graduating from McGill he was admitted to the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine, where he completed internships and was a member of the Phi Chi fraternity. During his internship, on a routine outpatient assessment, he found a vague abdominal mass on a four-month-old. Contrary to resistance from the resident staff, a further imaging test was performed and confirmed the assessment. Dr. Marsh rarely had a prouder moment than when the staff turned to him and said “you saved that baby’s life”.

Dr. Marsh practiced medicine for 44 years; 8 years in beautiful Cheticamp and 36 years in Halifax. It was a great joy to open the first four Walk-In Clinics in Halifax, and later he joined Family Practice Associates. At the IWK Hospital for Children he held the position of Occupational Health Physician for 12 years. He also had many long associations providing medical services to the Port of Halifax, the film industry, and the CBC production of 22 Minutes, including a cameo in the movie Santa Quest and credits in The Pit Pony and Heart of a Stranger. He found it exciting to watch young Canadian stars grow and flourish.

Special to Dr. Marsh were his years as part of the Halifax Mooseheads’ Medical Team including the 2000 Memorial Cup in Halifax. For over 20 years he was the Chief Medical Officer for the Nova Scotia Boxing/Combat Sports Authority and was proud of having organized the medical portion of two UFC events that were televised worldwide. His involvement in professional combat sports led to a long and fruitful professional relationship with Mickey MacDonald and Hubert Earle.

He also loved music, playing guitar and singing often. He received a Certificate Of Merit at the American Song Festival 9th Annual Song Writing Competition and placed in the Top 30 of the First Annual CBC Radio Maritime Song Contest. One of his songs was playlisted on CHUM radio and featured in a discussion with A&M Records on what it takes to make it in the music industry. During his time at Family Practice Associates he helped form a cover band, MD5, that raised funds for charities for many years, and was asked to join the Tuesday Night Band (TNB).

Dr. Marsh was also an avid runner for many years, finishing ninth in both the Johnny Miles Marathon and the Nova Scotia Marathon, with times of 3 hours, 9 minutes “and change”.

Dr. Marsh served as the President of Family Practice Associates, during which time he spearheaded the implementation of two electronic medical record systems despite significant challenges.

In 2021, he and some colleagues founded Novas Medical Clinic. Dr. Marsh was forced to leave his practice of 3000 patients in January 2022, due to illness.

An award was established in his name at Dalhousie, to honour a graduate of the Department of Family Medicine.

Lorne’s happiest moments were the birth of his children and grandchildren.

He will be sorely missed.

Survived by: his children Joel (Camilla Andersson), Sweden; Adam, Jenna (Jeff Miller), Halifax; their mother Margo Marsh; Lorne’s grandchildren Adam Marsh Jr, 14, (his mother Andrea Butts) who knew him as Grampy, and Leo Marsh Andersson, 5, who knew him as Farfar; siblings: Sylvia Haslam, Calgary, AB; Carl (Irene), Chilliwack, BC; Priscilla MacDonald, Truro, NS; Myron, Cambridge, ON; Elizabeth (Beth), Truro, NS; Adrian, Airdrie, AB; and Karen Delorey, Larry’s River, NS; sisters-in-law: Joan and Gini Marsh, ON; Barb Marsh, PE; uncle Father Anthony Marsh, ON; aunts Marie Marsh, Sydney; Irma Marsh, Grace Bay, NS; loving nieces and nephews and many amazing cousins.

Predeceased by: his parents Sylvester (Sonny) Marsh and Elizabeth (Bessie) O’Leary Marsh (Reserve Mines); brothers Thad, Melvin, Gerard and twins Ken and Kevin; brothers-in-law: Raymond Delorey, Gordon Haslam; maternal grandparents Thomas and Anne O’Leary Spencer; paternal grandparents Henry and Mary Jane (Kanary) Marsh.

From Dr. Marsh:

“I would like to thank all my patients for their trust, and I am very appreciative for what I have learned from all of you. Your courage and stamina have been an inspiration and an amazing gift to take from the practice of medicine and on my own journey. Throughout my practice I have learned this lesson: treatment is medicine from the outside in, but healing is medicine from the inside out.”

A special thank you to: Dr. Terry Kawchuk; the Palliative Care Team; Dr. Orm Hayne for “getting me to appointments at any hour and on short notice”; Karen Marsh Delorey and Beth Marsh; Mickey MacDonald “who was more like a brother to me than a friend”; Dr. Sundeep Chohan “who did an incredible amount of work to make the closing of my practice orderly and professional”, and to the MAID Team.

Sincere thanks to everyone who visited, sent flowers, gifts, meals, desserts, cards from far and wide, those who ‘hugged me by phone’ and especially to Dr. Erika Yazer for her kindness and well-honed ringside physician skills.

To my colleagues at Novas Medical and my very kind, skilled and helpful staff: “Words hardly suffice for my gratitude to you all.”

Celebration of life to be announced. Burial of ashes will take place in Reserve Mines at a later date.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society, 5826 South Street, Halifax, NS B3H 1S6 (Pls specify: FOR RESEARCH) or Tusarnaarniq Sivumut Association-Music for the Future (www.musicforthefuture.ca), c/o Julie Lohnes-Cashin, 26 Wynn Castle Dr., Lower Sackville, NS B4E 2H5.