Biography:

Dr. Thomas William Hopekirk Lamont was born in Treherne, Manitoba on the 25th of October, 1921.  Dr. Lamont’s father Dr. Joseph Laurie Lamont was a medical doctor as was his grandfather, Dr. Thomas Jasper Lamont. His mother was the former Janet Cleghorn Hopekirk and she was born in Ireland. Dr. Thomas William Lamont was their only child.   Dr. Lamont’s mother Janet died just 6 days after Dr. Lamont was born.  His father married for a second time to Helen Robertson on the 28th of September, 1927.

Dr. Lamont was educated in Manitoba and studied Pre-Med in Winnipeg at the University of Manitoba. He graduated in March of 1945. Dr. Lamont enlisted during World War II as a private on the 6th of April, 1945. After completing basic training at Camp Borden in Ontario, Dr. Lamont was posted to the Rehabilitation Centre at Portage la Prairie in Manitoba. From there he was seconded to Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg.

In 1950 Dr. Lamont travelled to Edinburgh, Scotland for post-graduate work. During this time, Dr. Lamont traveled extensively to attend lectures. He also took training in pathology at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, England. He stayed on at The Royal Berkshire Hospital to pursue further surgical training. He obtained his Edinburgh Fellowship in Surgery in July of 1951. Dr. Lamont worked as a Senior Registrar in Orthopedic Surgery at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Boscome, Bournemouth, England. He went on to work as Registrar in General Surgery at the Northampton General Hospital until July of 1952, when he returned to Canada.

Dr. Lamont became the Senior Resident in Surgery at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. He wrote and passed the Canadian exam for Certification in Surgery in Toronto. The following year, after completing his Senior Residency in Ottawa, he took the Fellowship Course of Lectures in Montreal at Royal Victoria Hospital and passed the Canadian Fellowship exams.

Dr. Lamont practiced medicine in Tillsonburg, Ontario before moving to Wallaceburg, Ontario in 1956.

Dr. Lamont married Isobel (Currie) Ruthven in Toronto on the 26th of July 1957.  Mrs. Lamont was born in Ontario on the 13th of November, 1928.  She was the daughter of William Charles Currie and the former Elizabeth Jane Harper and she had 2 siblings; Gordon and Marion.  Mrs. Lamont was married to Donald Harold Ruthven prior to marrying Dr. Lamont.  Donald Harold Ruthven was born in Ontario on the 29th of May, 1929.  He was killed at Dortmund, Germany on the 26th of March, 1955.  Lieutenant Commander Ruthven was a member of the Lord Strathcona Regiment, 4th Troop, D. Squadron.  Prior to his death they had a son named Brenton William Ruthven, who was adopted by Dr. Lamont after their marriage.

Dr. and Mrs. Lamont had 4 daughters; Janet, Pamela, Laurie and Caroline. The Lamont family resided at 11 Martin Park Rd., in Wallaceburg.

Dr. Lamont belonged to the Rotary Club and he was a Divisional Surgeon for the St. John’s Ambulance. He enjoyed flying, diving and photography.

Dr. Lamont died at the Sydenham District Hospital in Wallaceburg on the 9th of June, 1977.  Mrs. Lamont died on the 12th of April, 2000.  Dr. and Mrs. Lamont were buried at Riverview Cemetery in Wallaceburg.