Remembering Dr John (Jack) Anthony Comerford
Dr John (Jack) Anthony Comerford
John (Jack) Anthony Comerford graduated MBBS from the University of Queensland in 1957. He attended St Leo’s College, which was then on Wickham Terrace, and many years later was appointed to the Council of St Leo’s College.
Jack had a long association with the RACGP being a member of the Queensland Faculty Board from 1974 until 2001. He was Provost of the Faculty from 1979 until 1980, and again from 1998 to 2001. He was Chair of the Faculty Board from 1995 to 1998, and represented the Faculty on many external committees such as the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, the KPMG Outpatients Services Committee and had a Government Advisory appointment from the Faculty. He was also a member of the then Medical Education Committee. In 2000 he was awarded the College’s highest award, the Rose Hunt Award for his services to the College. For the past 15-years Jack had been the Queensland Faculty Archivist (later changed to Faculty Historian) and part of the RACGP Archives (now called RACGP History) Committee.
Jack convened the Faculty’s two annual Postgraduate Education Weekends at the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast for many years and it is noted in the Annual Report of 1975/76 that “Owing to the experience of John Comerford, these weekends have become very polished presentations”. They were at the time the largest GP postgraduate medical education events in Australia.
Jack was a GP in the Brisbane suburb of Lutwyche for many years, initially solo, then in partnership with Dr Des Dann. In the early days of Jack’s practice, he had a hospital appointment, did his own obstetrics, and conducted a busy practice complete with after-hours calls.
He is remembered as a caring, friendly, kind and compassionate doctor, with a lively sense of humour. He has been well supported by his wife, Sonja, and they had four children, and he was Pa to a number of grandchildren. Jack and Sonja organised many medical cruises with an educational component.
He is sadly missed by his family, colleagues and patients.
Tribute by the late Dr Mary Mahoney AO and Dr Kevin (Patrick) Mahoney.