Featured Member - Dr. Tony Yurkovich

 

Classification: Honorary Member joined the Rotary Club of Richmond in Nov 1962. Has held most of the director positions and President 1969-1970 & 1993-1994

 

Tony was introduced to Rotary by Hugh McCue, the owner operator of McCue Drugs, and became a member six months after the charter of our club. At that time, the members met at the Skyline Hotel.

 

Tony was born in Edmonton and moved to Richmond in 1939. It was just a farming community then, population 8,000, with only one doctor, Dr. Graves. Tony graduated from UBC in medicine in 1955 and in 1957 opened his family practice in Richmond. At the time, houses were only $10,000 with $1,000 down payment, which attracted many young families.

 

There was no hospital in Richmond so Tony had to travel to hospitals in Vancouver--VGH, St. Paul’s, St. Vincent’s, and Children’s where his patients were admitted. Tony travelled at least 25,000 miles a year making house calls and commuting to Vancouver. The Richmond Hospital opened in February 1966 which made a dramatic impact on Tony’s life!

 

As a family doctor in Richmond for more than 35 years, Tony and his wife Nancy, a registered nurse, have long understood the importance of health and community and have been tireless champions for both. Tony’s wife Nancy is one of the driving forces behind our club’s signature project, Rotary Hospice House. Their latest endeavour is to support a new much-needed Acute Care Tower at Richmond Hospital.

 

Tony says, “I feel great pride in the many local and international projects that the club has initiated and completed. Rotary has enriched my life and that of our family. The spirit of Rotary has passed on to our son through Rotaract and our granddaughter through Interact"