In Honour of Jaime Smith
It is with a profound respect and admiration that we mark the passing of Jaime Smith. On October 24th, succumbing to sepsis after a hip fracture.
Jaime’s journey took him from the observatory to the psychiatrist’s office, and a legacy of thought-provoking literature. Testaments all to his voracious appetite for knowledge across disciplines.
Jaime’s many life chapters took him from a US university to the observatories of Argentina to the front lines of psychiatric care during the AIDS crisis in Vancouver and then to becoming the only resident psychiatrist in the Yukon before retiring in Victoria. His literary works that we’ve had the pleasure to publish, Meteors and Stardust, bear witness to his extensive knowledge and unique perspective as both an astronomer and a psychiatrist.
Shown in his written works in books and in his blog, Jaime’s life exemplified a relentless pursuit of intellectual growth and social progress.
Jaime’s enduring wisdom is imparted in his books, and his legacy is carried on through his three daughters, his grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren.
About the Author
JAIME SMITH, MD, FRCPC, was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, and upon completing his undergraduate studies in humanities at the University of Minnesota, moved to Argentina to work as an astronomer at the national observatory, leaving behind the political framework of a country that he no longer supported.
Smith’s path would ultimately lead him to British Columbia, where he was a university teacher in physics, mathematics and astronomy before changing careers and receiving his MD, followed by four years of training in psychiatry at the University of British Columbia.
Smith was a participant in the fight to de-stigmatize homosexuality within the medical community and served on the front line of the AIDS epidemic in Vancouver, BC. A widower since 2011, he has three daughters, seven grandsons and four great-grandchildren.
To read more of Jaime’s writing, visit his website: https://karhunluola.wordpress.com
