Biography:

Dr. Ralph Franklin Keevil was born in Toronto, Ontario on the 27th of October, 1910.  Dr. Keevil was the 3rd of 4 children born to Frank Hildreth Keevil and the former Deborah Ann Varnell.  At the time of his birth, the Keevil family resided at 197 Gilmore Ave., in Toronto.  His father was an office clerk for the Canadian Pacific Railway and his siblings were; Frank Hildreth Keevil (who died at the age of 10 weeks old), John Richard Victor Keevil and Carl Edward Keevil.  Dr. Keevil attended public school in Toronto and graduated from Jarvis Collegiate Institute.  In 1921 Dr. Keevil resided at 144 Davenport Road in Toronto with his parents and brothers.  He graduated The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1938 with a degree in radiology.  Dr. Keevil interned at Toronto General Hospital in Weston.

Dr. Keevil married Nona Louise Waldock on the 31st of May, 1941 in Toronto.  Mrs. Keevil was born in Toronto on the 30th of December, 1912 the youngest of 4 children born to Frances Edwin Waldock and the former Annie Elizabeth Palmer.  Her father was a merchant and at the time of her birth, the Waldock family resided at 22 Edgewood Avenue.  Her siblings were; Edwin Beresford Waldock, Robert Charles Waldock and Emily Jean Waldock.

Dr. Keevil enlisted with the R.C.A.M.C. and served from 1941 to 1946. At the time of his enlistment he was a radiologist at Christie Street Hospital and Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto.

Dr. and Mrs. Keevil had four children. Dr. Louise Ann Keevil (who practiced at Toronto General Hospital), Patricia Jean Keevil, Frances Elizabeth Keevil and Richard Keevil.

In 1950 Dr. Keevil was appointed as the head of the radiology department at the Public General Hospital in Chatham. The family resided at 42 Stanley Avenue. Dr. Keevil was a member of the Chatham Rotary Club and served as the president from 1963-1964. He belonged to the Kent Club and he had a keen interest in conservation efforts in northern Ontario.

Dr. Keevil died in Chatham on the 16th of March, 1986.  Mrs. Keevil died in Huntsville, Ontario on the 25th of February, 1999.

*Below, Dr. Keevil and Dr. Natale Toplack consult in 1963.  Dr. Toplack is also featured on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.