(17 Feb. 1878-20 March 1945), physician. (H.H. Christie) Born at Martintown, GC. Parents: Hugh S. Christie and his wife Annie MacIntosh. Education: public school at Martintown, high school at Williamstown, medical degree from McGill 1909. Before becoming a physician, he was a schoolteacher and was principal of Williamstown public school from 1896 to 1902. Early in his medical career in the Canadian West he worked as a physician for work crews of J.D. McArthur. (Standard Freeholder 17 Feb. 1937) Afterwards, Dr Christie was a physician for many years at Esterhazy, Sask., with a practice extending over a large area. During this time he distributed thousands of free bulbs and shrubs from his garden for prairie homes. Besides gardening he had interests in horse-breeding and horse racing. An active Liberal party supporter, he was offered but did not accept nominations to run for political office. He was awarded the King’s jubilee medal 1935 and the coronation medal 1937. He was president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association, 1935. In 1937 he spoke on GC’s “mighty men” at the Winnipeg Glengarrians’ annual dinner and dance at the Fort Garry Hotel, Winnipeg. (SFH 17 Feb. 1937) The “mighty men” included R. R. (Big Rory) McLennan, Dr D. R. (Randy) McLennan, and J.D. McArthur. Dr Christie was a member of the Ottawa Gaelic Society.

     In 1940 he was appointed supervisor of medical services in the mobilization section of national selective service. In this role he was in charge throughout Canada of the medical examinations of men called for military service. While holding this office he lived in Ottawa, and it was at his home in Ottawa he died. He was married in 1909 to Maude Isabelle Scott (6 July 1884-18 Dec. 1964). The marriage service was performed by the Rev. Charles W. Gordon (“Ralph Connor”). J.G. Gardiner, the minister of agriculture, was a personal friend, and in 1946 married, as his third wife, Dr Christie’s widow. On Dr Christie’s death, Gardiner described him as the ideal country family doctor. Gardiner said that “I visited him almost weekly during his [final] illness, and his friends will be pleased to know that his favorite topics of conversation were Esterhazy, Sask. and Glengarry, Ont.” Dr Christie and his wife Maude Isabell, who outlived Gardiner for a short time and died in an Ottawa hospital, are buried at the North Branch cemetery, Martintown.

Glengarry News 23 March 1945 * unidentified obituary article by C.A. Bloom in present author’s files * The Canadian Who’s Who Vol. II (1936-1937). The only later vol. of this publication to appear in his lifetime merely refers the reader to the entry in Vol. II * gravestone * obituary of his widow, GN 22 Dec. 1964 * Norman Ward and David Smith, Jimmy Gardiner: Relentless Liberal (1990) 321