Name:
Donald Cameron Smith 
Location served:
Chatham  
Years in Practice:
1945 to 2000
Area of Specialization:
Public Health and Paediatrics  

Biography:

Dr. Donald Cameron Smith was born in Peterborough, Ontario on the 5th of February, 1922.  Dr. Smith was the youngest of 4 children born to Dr. James Cameron Smith and the former Clarice Leighton.  His father’s medical practice was located in the community of Lakefield, Ontario and his siblings were; Louise “Lulu” Marjorie Smith, Douglas Leighton Smith and James Smith (who died on the 11th of April, 1921 at the age of 8 weeks).  Dr. Smith’s mother died when he was not quite 5 years old.

Dr. Donald Cameron Smith graduated from Lakefield High School before attending Queen’s University in Kingston.  He graduated M.D.,C.M. and L.M.C.C. in 1945.  Dr. Smith interned at Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario.

Dr. Smith was married to the former Jean Morningstar in 1946.  Mrs. Smith was born in Wanstead (Lambton County), Ontario on the 29th of June, 1922.  She was the daughter of Albert Earle Morningstar and the former Velma Dewar and she had a brother named William Dewar Morningstar.  When she was 7 years old the Morningstar family moved to the community of Mull in Chatham-Kent. Her father was a merchant at the general store.  Mrs. Smith graduated from Blenheim District High School.  She pursued a B.Sc. degree at the University of Western Ontario and her R.N. designation from Victoria Hospital School of Nursing in London.  She achieved both in 1946.

Dr. Smith enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy and served from February 1946 until August of 1947 attaining the rank of Surgeon Lieutenant.  While her husband was serving with the Royal Canadian Navy, Mrs. Smith taught nursing at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, British Columbia.

Upon his discharge he spent one year at the Banting Institute in Toronto doing research.  In 1948 Dr. Smith received his M.Sc. (Med.) from The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine and his D.H.P. in 1949, also from The University of Toronto.  Mrs. Smith was on the teaching staff at the Hospital for Sick Children.

Dr. Smith held the position of Assistant Medical Officer of Health for East York with the Leaside Health Unit from June of 1949 until June of 1950.  He moved to Chatham and assumed the position of Medical Officer of Health and Director of the Kent County Health Unit on the 24th of July, 1950.  When Dr. Smith became the Medical Officer of Health and the Director of the Kent County Health Unit the population of Kent County was approximately 54,000 people.  Dr. Smith held this position until December of 1951.

In January of 1952, Dr. Smith moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan for a fellowship in Paediatrics at the University of Michigan.  From January of 1956 to July of 1957 he was the the Assistant Professor of Maternal Medicine and Child Health and Clinical Instructor in Paediatrics at the University of Michigan.  From July of 1957 until June of 1961 he was the Associate Professor of Maternal and Child Health and Research Associate in Paediatrics.  And since July of 1961 until 1978 he was the Professor of Maternal and Child Health at the Medical School and School of Public Health at the University of Michigan.

Dr. and Mrs. Smith had 3 children; Douglas, Scot and Donald.

Dr. Smith wore many hats over the course of his career including Chairman of the State Board of Health, Chief Medical Advisor to the Sisters of Mercy Health Care Corporation and Director of the Michigan Department of Mental Health.  Dr. Smith was a consultant to the World Health Organization in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and to the Ford Foundation in South Korea.  He also served on the Board of the Washtenaw County Historical Society and the Ann Arbor Commission on Children and Youth.

In his spare time, Dr. Smith enjoyed playing golf and studying World War I and World War II.  Mrs. Smith enjoyed music and art, but her true passion was her family.  She also found time to serve on a number of community committee’s.

Dr. Smith died in Ann Arbor, Michigan on the 5th of February, 2014.  Mrs. Smith died in Ann Arbor on the 29th of October, 2017.