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Emeritus Consultants Biographies
John Stokes was born in 1926 in Perth, the son of Ernest Stokes, an accountant and Elwyn (nee) Barrymore. As a very young man he joined the RAAF as air crew but with the end of World War II he entered medical school, graduating in medicine at the University of Adelaide in 1951. He then came to the Royal Perth Hospital to hold a series of resident appointments that led to a career in general medicine. Some of John's earlier years at the Royal Perth Hospital were spent in the Department of Haematology under Bob Pitney and he has maintained a special interest in this discipline. In 1958 he went to Boston USA, as a Research Fellow in Medicine at the Harvard Medical School associated with the Massachusetts General Hospital. He returned to the Royal Perth Hospital in 1959 as Honorary Clinical Assistant Physician and in 1964 became Honorary Physician. He continued in the role of physician until his retirement in 1991. He was noted for his bedside teaching by successive generations of students and house staff, his gentle concerned manner endearing him to all with whom he came in contact. In his professional life he gave freely of his time to a number of organisations, being AMA Vice-President in 1972, Member of the Medical Board of WA from 1982-1987, a member of The Royal Australian College of Physicians Accreditation Board from 1973 to 1981, Chairman of its Specialist Advisory Committee 1974-1981 and a Member of the Council 1982-1984. John married Edith Kirkman, who had been a fellow medical student in Adelaide. They had a son and three daughters; the son John and two daughters, Helen and Wendy subsequently graduated in medicine. Some years following the death of Edith, John married Audrey Coiling. Outside of medicine John has always been a keen golfer and enjoys other outdoor activities including skiing and tennis. He also enjoys music and it may be more than a coincidence that his third daughter is a cellist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. John retired in 1991 and in recognition of his service to the Royal Perth Hospital was appointed Emeritus Consultant Physician. |
