Colin Hooker

Colin Holloway Hooker FRCS FRACS ONZM
Orthopaedic Surgeon
20 April 1930 - 3 August 2017

Colin Hooker's two passions in life were his profession and his family. With his motto for the way he lived, a quotation from Thomas Huxley, "Try to learn something about everything and everything about something", he participated fully in all life offered.

Colin Hooker was born in Pukeroro just outside Cambridge (New Zealand) the son of James Stanley Hooker, a dairy farmer, and Betty Cohen. He was the second youngest of five children - Aubrey, Desmond, Brian, Colin and Yvonne. Commencing at Cambridge Primary School he next attended Cambridge High school where he excelled, topping New Zealand in School Certificate Latin (helped by learning Latin verbs while milking, these having been carefully written out on paper and pasted on the cow bails). In 1945, at the age of 15, he had to leave school to work on the farm, because his oldest brother had been called up for service in the Pacific.

When war ended, and with his mother's encouragement, Colin decided that he wanted to attend university, something no other member of the family had achieved. However, having left school early required 18 months study at home by correspondence in English, Latin, maths, chemistry and geography to meet the entry qualification. He commenced medical intermediate at Auckland University in 1948 but, although obtaining high marks, he failed to gain entry to Medical School. However, following a second year he won a place and commenced at Otago Medical School in Dunedin in 1950 completing his MB ChB in 1954.

Whilst a house surgeon in Hamilton, Colin met a pretty nurse from Taihape, Valerie Cunningham, and in 1956 they married. Deciding to become an orthopaedic surgeon he and Val sailed for England in 1957, Colin employed as the ship's doctor on the freighter, Port Phillip, a voyage marred by a crew member jumping overboard despite Colin's best efforts. Surgical training was obtained at Oswestry, Winchester and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London. In 1959 he was awarded his FRCS. Colin and Val were delighted to be able to adopt their first child, Jane, in 1960. Specific orthopaedic training was obtained during the next three years at the Manchester Royal Infirmary and subsequently Oswestry Hospital.

In 1962 Colin was appointed as consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, and the family returned to New Zealand by sea on the maiden voyage of the Canberra. With the arrival of Simon that year and Andrew in 1963, the family was completed. Five years following their return to Hamilton Colin and Val purchased an amazing house set in an acre of land on the bank of the Waikato River. With large oak trees, an orchard and a steep bank to the river this was a haven for a growing family. There was also a swimming pool which Colin -" damned if I will pay for water!" - filled each year courtesy of the neighbours and close friends to avoid any such payment.

Colin worked at Waikato Hospital for thirty years, retiring in 1992 to continue in medicolegal work, before ceasing all practice in 2009. He had a love for teaching and a particular interest in paediatric orthopaedic surgery. Beneath a sometimes crusty exterior, Colin had a big heart and was very committed to his patients, showing genuine concern for them. During his time at Waikato Hospital the orthopaedic service increased greatly in size and Colin served as Head of Department for ten years from 1978. He was a very capable and conscientious administrator and put a lot of effort into this and the work of the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association. With Ross Nicholson and Alan Alldred he was instrumental in setting up the New Zealand orthopaedic training program. Colin obtained his FRACS in 1969 and subsequently served as a member of the Court of Examiners. He served a term as Chair of the Waikato Hospital Senior Medical Staff. Colin was President of the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association 1984-1985.

Colin published a number of widely recognised articles on club foot and received the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association Sir Alexander Gillies Medal in 1978 for his paper on radical soft tissue surgery in club feet. In the mid-1970s, concerned by the prevalence of catastrophic spinal injuries in schoolboy rugby as a consequence of scrum collapses, and with the help of the media, he challenged the New Zealand Rugby Union resulting in rule changes to largely eliminate this source of injury. He enjoyed travel, and with Valerie travelled widely to attend orthopaedic meetings in South America, the Soviet Union, Scandinavia, Australia, UK, South Africa, Canada, and the USA. In 1996, he published a book "The History of Orthopaedics in New Zealand - The First 90 Years". For his services to orthopaedics, Colin was invested as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007.

Living on a substantial block of land, Colin became an avid vegetable gardener, providing tomatoes to the whole neighbourhood and keeping Val in the kitchen for countless hours bottling, preserving and freezing. Although a keen "boatie", Colin was not so good with the necessary maintenance and this resulted in some family "adventures". A non-swimmer, he usually sat at the helm wearing wide rimmed glasses, orange toweling hat on his head, his bright yellow life jacket, and often clenching a large cigar, Churchill-like, in his mouth. Colin had a love of literature and reading, particularly biographies of eccentric scientists or politicians, and kept a handwritten summary of every book he read. Churchill was a hero - he could recite his speeches with perfect accent and a large portrait adorned the office (and later bedroom) wall. He maintained a keen interest in politics throughout his life. With his friend Dick Clark, an anaesthetist, he owned and developed a plantation forest at Waitomo.

Colin was predeceased by Val, who died almost six years ago. He was the loved and respected father of Jane (Office Management), Simon (Marine Biologist) and Andrew (Lawyer), grandad of seven children and great grandfather of five.

This obituary was provided by Jane Burton, Andrew Hooker and orthopaedic colleagues.