Biography:

Dr. Otto Micheal Drouillard was born near the community of McGregor (Essex County), Ontario on the 16th of April, 1902.  Dr. Drouillard was the 4th of 5 children born to Michel Drouillard and the former Filienne Beneteau.  His parents were farmers and his siblings were; Norman Richard Louis Drouillard, Joseph Alphonse Drouillard, Joseph Ovila Richard Drouillard and Mary Evangeline Loretta Drouillard.  Dr. Drouillard was educated in Essex County and graduated from the Hon. J.C. Patterson Collegiate Institute in Windsor before attending university.

He attended medical school at the University of Western Ontario. He received his M.D. in 1928 and he also qualified with the Michigan State Medical Board.  Dr. Drouillard interned at Victoria Hospital in London (Ontario) and the University of Chicago. He specialized in Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat at Illinois State Hospital.

Dr. Drouillard practiced medicine in Belle River, Ontario from May 1929 to November 1933. He moved to Tecumseh and practiced there from 1933 to December of 1935. Dr. Drouillard took post-graduate studies in Chicago from January 1936 to May 1937.

In June 1937 he opened a medical practice at 237 King St., West, in Chatham, specializing in Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat. He later moved his practice to 195 Wellington St. West.  Dr. Drouillard served as the Chief of Staff for St. Joseph’s Hospital.   He lectured to nursing students at St. Joseph’s Hospital and the Public General Hospital. He also served as Chairman of the Separate School Board and he was a member of Blessed Sacrament Church. Dr. Drouillard was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Tilbury Lion’s Club and the Holy Name Society. He enjoyed baseball, football, fishing, hunting and traveling.

Dr. Drouillard married Catharine Maria (Ducharme) Ouellete on the 15th of October, 1938 in Belle River, Ontario. Mrs. Drouillard was born on the 30th of September, 1901 near St. Joachim (Essex County), Ontario.  She was the 4th of 8 children born to Jeremie Ducharme and the former Emily Mousseau.  Her parents were farmers and her siblings were; Marie Emélie There Ducharme, Marie Minnie Ducharme, Marie Florine Ducharme, Alphonse Aurele Ducharme, Lucia Domitilla Ducharme, Arthur Joseph Ducharme and Eugene Raymond Ducharme.  Her father was the Reeve of Belle River for 28 years.  Mrs. Drouillard had been widowed with two young children, Marie Jeanne Ouellette and Jerry John Ouellette, when her husband John Ouellette died a young man.  Mrs. Drouillard was a bookkeeper.

According to the 1950-1951 Shepherds City of Chatham Directory, Mr. and Mrs. Drouillard resided at 115 Joseph Street.

Dr. Drouillard died at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chatham on August 23rd, 1958.  Mrs. Drouillard died in Windsor on the 18th December, 1992.  Dr. and Mrs. Drouillard were buried at St. Anthony’s Cemetery in Chatham.

*Dr. Drouillard’s brother Norman Richard Louis Drouillard enlisted with the Canadian Military during WWI.