Name:
William Frederick Glen 
Location served:
Chatham  
Years in Practice:
1933 to 1970
Area of Specialization:
Family Medicine  

Biography:

Dr. William Frederick Glen was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on the 17th of December, 1899.  Dr. Glen was the youngest of 8 children born to James Glen and the former Jean Alexander. His siblings were; Lizzie, Jennet, John, Andrew, Ernest, Grace and Agnes.  Most of Dr. Glen’s siblings were born in Quebec.

According to his father’s death notice in the Star-Phoenix newspaper that was published in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on the 05 August 1939, it mentioned that Mr. and Mrs. Glen were pioneer’s who moved to Briercrest in 1890.   Briercrest is a community that is located approximately 47 km southeast of Moose Jaw.

Dr. Glen was raised on a farm and he attended a rural school. He attended Moose Jaw College, a Presbyterian boarding school for secondary school education.  Upon his graduation he was a gold medalist and went on to study agriculture at Saskatchewan University.  Dr. Glen worked for the Ministry of Agriculture of Saskatchewan and saved enough money to pay for medical school.

While at Queen’s University Dr. Glen was a gold medalist and he was on the university wrestling team.  He was one of the founders of the Queen’s Summer School Journal and he was also an associate editor and the first business manager of the journal.  Dr. Glen graduated M.D.,C.M from Queen’s University in 1932.  He interned at Oshawa General Hospital and returned to Saskatchewan to practice medicine.

Dr. Glen married Elvira Douglas Belch on the 21st of September, 1928, in Kingston, Ontario.  At the time of their marriage, Dr. Glen was a medical student at Queen’s University and Mrs. Glen was a music teacher.  She was born in Syracuse, New York in September of 1905, the eldest child of Frederick James Arthur Belch and the former Sarah Eugenie Grover.   Mrs. Glen had two younger brothers, Kenneth Eugene Belch and Frank Grover Belch who were born in Ontario.

Dr. and Mrs. Glen resided in Saskatchewan from 1933-1946 and Dr. Glen practiced medicine in Bursie, Central Bute and Shaunavon, Saskatchewan before moving to Chatham in 1946.  Dr. and Mrs. Glen resided on Victoria Ave., (in Chatham) and Dr. Glen was held in high regard as a physician.  He was known for making house calls and providing great care to his patients.

Dr. and Mrs. Glen were the proud parents of 6 daughters; Barbara “June” Glen, Dorothy-Anne Glen, Joyce Eleanor Glen, Heather Eugenie Glen, Donna Jean Glen and Lynn Glen.

Dr. Glen was involved with the Chatham Kiwanis Club and he served as President for a term. Dr. Glen was a Master Mason and an elder of the First Presbyterian Church. He enjoyed playing bridge and golf.

Dr. Glen retired in 1973.  He died at St. Catharines General Hospital in St Catherines, Ontario on September 18th, 1978. Mrs. Glen died in 1995.  Dr. and Mrs. Glen were buried at Victoria Lawn Cemetery, in St. Catharines.

*Dr. Glen’s daughter Joyce married Dr. George Ralph Walker.  Dr. Walker also appears on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.

**Mrs. Glen’s father enlisted in WWI on the 14th of August, 1917.  On his attestation paper, he recorded his occupation as a “journalist” but enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps.  When her father enlisted, Mrs. Glen and her family were living in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Mr. Belch served in Canada, England and on hospital ships.  He was discharged on the 30th of April, 1920 but made a career of the Canadian Army after his discharge.