David Precious

PRECIOUS, Dr. David Stanley passed away peacefully on February 3, 2015. Husband, father, friend, surgeon, teacher, humanitarian, and community leader. Born in Ottawa, Ontario on April 23, 1944. He is predeceased by his parents, Jean and John Precious, and sisters, Suzanne (Charles) and Heather. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Elizabeth, daughter, Susan (Fritz), son, Bruce (Nichola), granddaughters, Zoe and Rachel, mother in law, Marion MacDonald, sister in law, Heather (Jim), brothers in law, John (Wendy), Jim, and David (Theresa), and many nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews.

David had many talents, hobbies and interests but by far his favorite activity was spending time with his family and friends. David’s kind and gentle nature, his generosity, positive spirit and wonderful sense of humour will be greatly missed by his family.

A passionate humanitarian and community leader, he travelled widely to provide free volunteer cleft lip and palate surgery to children in Vietnam, Tunisia, India and Brazil. He particularly enjoyed his annual trips for 20 years to Vietnam and Tunisia with his colleagues from Dalhousie. The collegiality of these trips, working with the Japanese and host teams was very rewarding. David also enjoyed serving on the boards of many local arts and education organizations including Neptune Theatre, Shakespeare by the Sea, Scotia Festival of Music, the Nova Scotia Council on Higher Education and Canadian Parents for French.

David graduated from Glebe Collegiate in Ottawa. He attended Dalhousie University, where he played football and basketball, graduating with science and dental degrees. In 1972, he received a medical research grant to study with Professor Norman Rowe in London, England and Professor Hugo Obwegeser in Zurich, Switzerland. In 1973, he joined the Dalhousie University faculty, becoming a Professor in 1987. He served as Chair of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences from 1985 to 2003 and was Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry from 2003 to 2008. During his time at Dalhousie, David spent two sabbaticals in Nantes, France studying with the internationally renowned cleft lip and palate surgeon, Professor Jean Delaire. He dedicated his lifetime to providing oral and maxillofacial surgery care to patients, particularly in the area of cleft lip and palate. He delivered over 250 international lectures and authored more than 200 peer reviewed publications and abstracts, 15 book chapters and 8 books in the area.

David served as president of the Nova Scotia Dental Association, president of the medical staff at the Victoria General Hospital, Chief Examiner of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada, President of the Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Regent for many years of the Board of the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the International Cleft Lip and Palate Foundation, and served on the editorial boards of four leading national and international maxillofacial surgery scholarly journals. From 2012 to 2014, he was the Registrar of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada.

David has received numerous awards including the Order of Canada, the Harry Archer Award and the Humanitarian Award from the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, honorary fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in England, the William Harrigan Award (Bellevue Hospital, NYC), the Canadian Dental Association Medal of Honour, and honorary degrees from Laval University and Dalhousie University.

The family very much wishes to thank the team of doctors, nurses and staff of the Department of Hematology at the Victoria General Hospital who provided incredible care with compassion and dignity. They also wish to thank Dr. David Wood, Dr. Irwin Walker and his team in Hamilton, Ontario, the anonymous bone marrow donor, and all of those who donated blood - you truly give the gift of life.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Department of Hematology at the Victoria General Hospital or the Elizabeth Precious Cleft Palate Endowment Fund at Dalhousie University, or a charity of your choice.

Visitation will be at J.A. Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive (902-455-0531) on Friday February 6, 2015 from 5 to 7 p.m. A memorial service will be held at St. David’s Presbyterian Church in Halifax on Saturday February 7, 2015 at 2 p.m.