Root

Remembering
Dr. John Robert Evans
A physician, academic and university administrator, business
leader, biotech entrepreneur, and global-health pioneer,
John Evans ’46 was a true Renaissance Man – and an
inspiring mentor to all those lucky enough to have known him.
By Robert C. Dowsett ’46
Much has been written about the
many outstanding world-changing
accomplishments of Dr. John Evans ’46 as a
physician, medical school founder, university
president, foundation head, corporation director,
board chairman and innovation activist. I would
like to add some personal observations about the
young man I met in high school some 75 years
ago. John and I graduated from UTS in June of
1946, when we were both approaching our 17th
birthdays. During our schooldays, we enjoyed our
classes with wonderful teachers, and we worked
hard, acquiring solid basic educations. We played
football for the UTS Senior Team; I was the center,
and “Big John” was a tackle. Many times, John and
the other competent large tackle, Fraser “Moose”
Mustard ’46, saved my bacon in the scrimmages.
John became a good friend and so did Moose.
John went on to become a varsity football player
at the University of Toronto, and later became a
member of UofT’s Sports Hall of Fame – but his
football career started at UTS.
In June of 1945, as we were finishing Grade 12,
we were looking for summer jobs to earn some
money before our final year of high school. John’s
uncle, Colonel McAlpine, arranged for John and
a friend to spend the summer in the Northwest
Territories as camp-helpers on a six–man
prospecting team, working on already-staked
gold claims in the barren lands on the shores of
Courageous Lake, 150 miles north of Yellowknife,
very close to the Arctic Circle. I was the lucky
friend that John asked to accompany him on this
exciting, life-changing adventure.
At McMaster (left), in
1972 and (above) in
1969 with a model of
the McMaster University
Medical Centre.
Photos courtesy McMaster University.
THE UTS ALUMNI MAGAZINE
13