AN INSPIRATIONAL Redditch doctor has passed away at the age of 89.
Dr Thomas (Tom) Dow, who worked as a GP in Redditch between 1950 and 1991, died on July 4 leaving behind his three children Isabel, Felicity and John.
Inspired by his father who set up a doctor’s practice in Redditch in the 1920s, he left school at just 17 and went to university in Edinburgh where he qualified in medicine at the age of 21.
He met his late wife Elizabeth on a refresher day in Birmingham where she was working as a midwife and the pair immediately hit it off, marrying in 1958 in Warwickshire.
They went on to have their three children, with John becoming a doctor at the Dow Surgery in William Street where his father worked.
Tom’s two brothers also became doctors, while one of his ten grandchildren has just qualified as a doctor.
The extremely popular GP also used his passion for health care to help shape the future of medicine by being secretary for local doctor committees as well as being actively involved at Smallwood Hospital.
However medicine wasn’t his only love, with Dr Dow notching up a long list of skills including mastering fluent French as well as small amounts of Russian, Mandarin and Polish.
At the grand old age of 75 he also achieved a grade B at A Level in Italian. He was also a member of the Friends of Auxerre Association, a patron of Redditch Orchestra, an officer of the Order of St John, and a colonel of 202 Field Hospital in the Territorial Army.
He did his National Service from 1949 to 1950 during the Malayan Emergency where he learnt some Malay. Years later he enrolled himself on a carpentry course where he learnt to build a Wagtail dinghy which took him about 20 years to construct. It was later donated to Redditch Sailing Club.
In addition his favourite past times included enjoying hockey, rugby, playing bridge and caravanning with his family.
His daughter Isabel Slater said he was a ‘tolerant and very generous man’ who would have time for anyone.
“He would do anything for anyone. The expression used was a ‘true gentleman’ and that is what everyone keeps saying to us.
“Even his carers had a soft spot for him because he was such a nice man. In all honesty, I think we were spoilt as children to have a father like him.”
