Dr. Ian Livingstone Reid was a respected Selkirk physician who practiced medicine for nearly three decades. He promoted community health through initiatives like a Mental Health Crisis Centre, a drop-in center for vulnerable youth, and an Anti-Drug group called “PRIDE”. He left a lasting legacy through both his service and engagement in local life.
Dr. Ian Livingstone Reid was born 1931 in Calgary, Alberta. He lived in Selkirk, Manitoba from 1947 until he passed on January 12th, 2014. Ian Reid was a beloved member of the Selkirk community and was known for his positive spirit and generosity.
Dr. Reid began practicing medicine in Selkirk in 1960. As well as being an advocate for public health, Reid was a decorated athlete, well known for his passion for water skiing. Reid was an active community member, sharing his love of wood carving and participating in choir, singing well into his retirement in 1984.
Reid valued his family. He had two sons, Kim and Bruce, and a daughter, Patricia, with his wife Ruth Reid.
Medical Career and Public Health Advocacy
Ian Reid was inspired by his father, Dr William “Scotty” Reid. His father was born in Scotland in 1907, and after settling in Canada and eventually moving to Selkirk, founded the Selkirk Medical Clinic in 1947. Ian Reid went on to receive a Medical Degree and Surgery Diploma from the University of Manitoba. Following in his father’s footsteps, Ian Reid became a trusted doctor in Selkirk, sharing a practice with his father and Dr. Ralph Robertson. Their practice offered patient-centered care and general surgery.
Ian Reid’s passion for patient care extended beyond physical health. During Ian Reid’s 28-year career as a doctor he advocated for the wellbeing of his community through physical, mental, and social health services. He helped to establish a Mental Health Crisis Centre in Selkirk, a drop-in center for vulnerable youth, Selkirk’s Block Parent Program, and an Anti-Drug group called “PRIDE” where Reid spoke in schools about the dangers of illicit drug use. Reid received the J.M. George Memorial Award at the Manitoba Legislative Building on November 13th, 2014, for his outstanding work as a healthcare provider.
Water Skiing: A Family and Community Legacy
It wasn’t just a passion for medicine that William Reid instilled in Ian Reid, but also a love for water skiing. William and Ian Reid founded the Selkirk Seals Water Ski Club and shortly after, the Manitoba Water Skiing Association in 1951. Ian Reid recalled, during his acceptance speech into the Manitoba Sport Hall of Fame, his father making their first pair of water skis. William Reid crafted a makeshift pair of water skis by boiling a board and bending it between two telephone poles and rolling shoe rubber on it.
Ian Reid considered water skiing to be a sport he shared with his family and the entire community. Ian insisted that his greatest contribution to the sport of water skiing was his three children Kim, Bruce, and Patricia.
Reid judged all levels of competition on the local, provincial, and national levels and served on National Water Skiing committees. He served as curator to establish the Manitoba Museum of Water Skiing at the Marine Museum of Manitoba. Always considering the health of his community, he advocated for safety in the sport and helped to develop helmet standards. Reid’s passion for water skiing was recognized by his nomination for the Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada Hall of Fame.
Hobbies and Retirement
Extending his expertise beyond the health of athletes, Reid was also an environmental advocate for the Red River, speaking at the Clean Environment Commission hearings in Winnipeg to condemn the dumping of waste in the river.
After retiring from medicine, Reid kept himself busy with many hobbies such as badminton, choir, and wood carving. Reid recalled spending upwards of 40 hours a week wood carving. He loved using woods like mahogany, butternut, and basswood for his creations. Despite Reid’s precision and skill as a surgeon he found wood carving to be a unique challenge. He often said that carving wood was less forgiving than performing surgery, where the human body could more easily be fixed and healed.
He gravitated towards carving busts of elderly people, due to the many intricate details in their faces. Reid couldn’t help but share his passion for wood carving with the community. He taught wood carving classes at the Gordon Howard Senior Centre. The group went on to take all the ribbons at the Manitoba Society of Senior Games in Gimli. Reid encouraged people of all ages to try wood carving and was very proud of his group’s accomplishments.
Legacy and Recognition
Ian Reid was an integral part of the Selkirk Community, and his impact is still felt today. A compassionate and caring doctor, an enthusiastic athlete, coach, and judge, and passionate community member, Reid was recognized for these many contributions to his community, province and country through “The Order of Canada” award, Queen Elizabeth “Golden Jubilee Medal”, and a commemorative plaque on a bench in Queen’s Park. Ian’s children went on to carry forward his legacy through their professional careers : Kim, a Lawyer, Bruce, an Orthopedic Surgeon, and Patricia, an operating room nurse.
Dr. Ian Livingstone Reid Collection
Click on images to enlarge
Anti-drug Paraphilia Bill Passes Senate, 1988, Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times
Sources
Selkirk Journal 1990, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2013, 2014
The Stonewall Argus / Teulon, 1988
Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada – Ian Reid
Manitoba Historical Society – Ian Livingstone Reid
Gilbart Funeral Home – Dr. Ian L Reid
YouTube Sport Manitoba “Ian Reid Speech”
Red River North Tourism Ian Reid Interview Transcript
