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Halifax, Nova Scotia
DR. Ian Robb died April 27, 2004 at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was 87 years old. Ian spent most of his active medical career working in Europe and the Far East. His unique work took him through the Second World War, the Communist Revolution in China and into the immediate aftermath of the Korean war.
He was born to missionary parents in Wonsan, Korea (now North Korea) in 1916, during the time of the Japanese occupation. He received his early education in New Glasgow and Halifax, Nova Scotia and Pyeng Yang, Korea. He graduated from Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with a B.A. in 1937 and a M.D. in 1942. He immediately enlisted in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps and served in England, accompanied Allied forces to Normandy in 1944 and moved with them through France, Holland and Germany.
After the War Ian trained at Camp Hill Hospital, in Halifax, Nova Scotia as a surgeon to prepare himself for service in China. In 1947, with his wife, Rowena ("Rona"), and young family, Ian moved to Chengdu, China to serve with the United Church of Canada Medical Mission at West China Union University and later at the Canadian Mission Hospital, Chungking (Chongqing), China. By 1949 the Communist Revolution had engulfed China forcing Ian’s family to return to Nova Scotia. Ian stayed until 1951 but after being placed under house arrest by the Communists he left China at the first opportunity. Ian returned to Nova Scotia for a reunion with his family and to contemplate his next challenge.
By 1953 a truce had been achieved in the Korean War. Western help was desperately needed for rebuilding. The Severance Hospital in Seoul (Louis H. Severance was an early twentieth century American philanthropist) had been badly damaged. The United Church Mission posted Ian to administer a small hospital, established to care for North Korean refugees, on Koje Island off the South Coast of Korea. Since western families could not yet enter the country, Ian had to go alone. By 1956 the Severance Hospital in Seoul was under reconstruction and Ian was asked to go to Canada to study anesthesia and return to Korea to establish and direct an anesthesia department at the Yonsei University Medical Centre in Seoul. He arrived with his family in Seoul in 1958 and remained until retiring in 1981. He became Professor and Chairman of Anesthesiology at Yonsei Medical Centre and in 1981 was appointed Professor Emeritus. For four months in 1980 he served with the United Mission to Nepal, supplying anesthesia services at the Shanta Bhawan Hospital in Kathmandu.
Ian Robb co-authored eight publications which appeared in the Korean Journal of Anesthesiology. Ian’s contribution to Yonsei University and to the development of anesthesiology in Korea is well recognized and in 1962 the Korean Government awarded him their Reconstruction Medal and 1981 the Order of Civil Merit.
Back in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in retirement, his spirit of missionary service and devotion to duty did not falter. He became an elder at Fort Massey United Church and continued his missionary work with a special interest in Central America.
He was predeceased by his wife, Rowena (Benson). Our condolences go out to his daughter, Margaret Joan Robb; son, Ian Michael (Alana); grandsons, Jesse and Christopher.
Thomas Coonan MD FRCP(C)
David Wills MD FRCP(C)
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Le Dr Ian Robb est décédé le 27 avril 2004 au Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre à Halifax, Nouvelle-Écosse. Il avait 87 ans. Sa carrière médicale s’est passée surtout en Europe et en Extrême-Orient. Son travail particulier lui a fait vivre la Seconde Guerre mondiale, la Révolution communiste en Chine et les répercussions de la guerre de Corée.
Il est né en 1916 de parents missionnaires à Wonsan, Corée (maintenant Corée du Nord), sous l’occupation japonaise. Il fréquente l’école à New Glasgow et à Halifax, puis à Pyongyang, Corée du Nord. Diplômé de la Dalhousie University d’Halifax, il y obtient un B. A. en 1937 et un M. D. en 1942. Immédiatement après, il joint le Corps médical royal canadien, en service en Angleterre, accompagne les forces alliées en Normandie en 1944 et les suit en France, en Hollande et en Allemagne.
Après la guerre, Ian étudie la chirurgie au Camp Hill Hospital d’Halifax pour s’initier à son travail en Chine. En 1947, avec son épouse, Rowena (<<Rona>>) et sa jeune famille, il se retrouve à Chengdu, en Chine, au service de la United Church of Canada Medical Mission de la West China Union University et, plus tard, au Canadian Mission Hospital, Chungking (Chongqing), Chine. En 1949, la Révolution communiste chinoise force sa famille à revenir en Nouvelle-Écosse. Ian reste en Chine jusqu’en 1951, mais après avoir été assigné à résidence par les Communistes, il revient en Nouvelle-Écosse à la première occasion pour retrouver sa famille et faire face à de nouveaux défis.
En 1953, la guerre de Corée connaît une trêve. L’aide de l’Ouest est désespérément attendue pour la reconstruction. Le Severance Hospital de Séoul (Louis H. Severance, philanthrope américain du début du vingtième siècle) avait été très endommagé. La United Church Mission envoie Ian administrer un petit hôpital, établi pour les réfugiés de Corée du Nord, sur l’île Koje au sud du pays. Ian doit s’y rendre seul, les familles des Occidentaux ne pouvant entrer en Corée. En 1956, le Severance Hospital de Séoul est en reconstruction et Ian est invité à étudier l’anesthésie au Canada et à revenir en Coré y installer et diriger un service d’anesthésie au Yonsei University Medical Centre de Séoul. Il arrive à Séoul, avec sa famille, en 1958 et y demeure jusqu’à sa retraite en 1981. Il devient professeur d’anesthésiologie et président au Yonsei Medical Centre et, en 1981, est nommé professeur émérite. Pendant quatre mois, en 1980, il travaille pour la United Mission au Népal, comme anesthésiologiste au Shanta Bhawan Hospital de Kathmandu.
Ian Robb a cosigné huit articles parus dans le Korean Journal of Anesthesiology. Sa contribution à la Yonsei University et au développement de l’anesthésiologie en Corée est bien reconnue. En 1962, le gouvernement de Corée lui décerne la Médaille de la reconstruction et, en 1981, l’Ordre du mérite civil.
De retour à Halifax, à sa retraite, l’esprit missionnaire et l’attachement au devoir ne l’ont pas quitté. Il est nommé ancien de la Fort Massey United Church et poursuit son 
uvre, s’intéressant spécialement à l’Amérique centrale.
Son épouse Rowena (Benson) est déjà décédée. Nous présentons nos condoléances à sa fille Margaret Joan Robb, son fils Michael (Alana) et ses petitsenfants Jesse et Christopher.
Thomas Coonan md frcp(c)
David Wills md frcp(c)
Halifax, Nouvelle-Écosse
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