Canada Has Lost a Quiet Giant: Honouring Dr. Greg Powell—an obituary from his children, Adam, Nate, and Cailin

With profound sadness, but also an immense gratitude for his life, we share the passing of our beloved father. Greg passed away peacefully at the Foothills Country Hospice, with our mother, his soulmate, and our families at his side. He had deep love surrounding him.

For some, he is a name in the background of one of the most extraordinary public health innovations western Canada has ever seen—STARS. For many who have received emergency intervention and critical care in the last four decades, he is the reason a loved family member or friend is alive today. He was an extraordinary man whose life was a rare combination of relentless purpose, boundless compassion, and a quiet unwavering strength.

Born in Welland, Ontario, to mother Ruth and father George, the family moved to Alberta when he was an infant. He accomplished his dream of a young boy to become a physician, completing undergraduate and medical studies at UBC, graduating from the Faculty of Medicine in 1972 and receiving an FRCPC certification in Emergency Medicine.

As a second-year med student, he experienced a locum with the Flying Doctor Service in Darwin, Australia. Immediately prior to this locum, he briefly visited Saigon and observed a MASH unit at the peak of the Vietnam War. There he saw war casualties arriving by helicopter, going straight from the field of battle to the operating room. This experience transformed him, inspiring his future work in critical care and air ambulance services.  

He then continued with post graduate studies at the University of Calgary (Family Medicine) and McGill (Emergency Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program). Working at the Royal Victoria Hospital, he met the love of his life, Linda Gordon. They married in 1977 and returned to Alberta for Greg to assume the role of the first Director of Emergency Medicine at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary. This was the beginning of a visionary, widely impactful career in medical services nationwide, with Linda in lock step, always at his side.

Our father’s career stands alone as a reflection of a man remarkable to his core. The legacy of his work, his impact on so many, is carried forward in the institutions and people he shaped, developed, and motivated toward a better future for all. Never satisfied with what was, his life was a story of what could be. His influence on the world is not lost to us. He will continue to hold a seat as a guiding light for the aspirations of others to lead meaningful, difference-making efforts in their lives.

Kindly refer to the STARS.ca, https://www.alberta.ca/aoe-greg-powell, or https://cahf.ca/dwight-gregory-powell/ websites for some of many beautiful tributes to one of the most exceptional storylines of his life—the visionary establishment and founding of an air medical service (STARS) that imparts a foundational model the world over.

We write this in awe and in acknowledgement that all his contributions to the medical system in Alberta and Canada simply cannot be summarized in a concise way that truly does his life justice. He deserves a full biography, a novel of innovation and true commitment to excellence. Please see a bio at the websites noted above for a full list of all who recognized his work—including induction as an Officer of the Order of Canada, the Alberta Order of Excellence, the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame, and appointment as a Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Calgary. He was never chasing recognition, and despite all his accolades, he was never more moved than by a visit from a family, thanking him for the life and care of their loved one in their darkest hours.

Greg had many storylines to his life, in addition to a red medical helicopter and highly trained team cutting a lifeline of hope and rescue through the skies. For us, he was dad, with a deep identity as a frontline physician, but also a north star in our own personal lives. He was a man of great intellectual depth that never tired of the next challenge he set for himself. He improved all that he touched—from emergency medicine and critical care, to community and family, or an empty table awaiting an elaborate model train set.

Though the list is too long to encapsulate, he was a grandfather, father, husband, brother, uncle, leader, poet, author, coach, mentor, musician, fixed-wing pilot, and driving force for the development of the human spirit throughout all his short time on this earth. His company in a room seldom went without notice, always welcoming with a warm smile and calming presence. He held himself to the highest of standards and elevated those around him by teaching them to expect the same of themselves. Despite any rough currents set upon him, he remained an immovable rock in the rivers of life. When needed, no matter the crisis, his guidance and endless compassion were available to all.

We remember him as a noble patriarch; humble, principled, and loving. A voracious reader, he always had new wisdom to impart, and new technologies to master, including, in the recent few years, model railroading. As a pilot, he would soar the family to the cottage on the Shuswap in his Lake Buccaneer, with graceful water landings and roaring beach front parking. There are many fond memories of a guitar by the campfire, a poem written for a special occasion, or a waterski lesson that will stay with family and friends forever. He taught his family the love of golf and this transitioned to unforgettable vacations in California and Hawaii, solidifying bonds in the growing Powell family.

We have reminisced about his life at our current ages—founding a not-for-profit, leading the Foothills Medical Centre ER, establishing a physician specialty in emergency medicine, flying planes, building a log house, coaching teams, raising three rambunctious kids, his professorship and teaching at the University of Calgary, all while remaining a present and devoted family man. He might have just been the coolest guy we knew, and we did not even know it yet—he made it feel normal to us. Greg was proud of his home, and he and Mom, his rock in life, continually moulded it into a gathering place and hub for events and special celebrations. This tradition will support our family for years to come.

He taught us everything from how to ride a bike, how to ask tough questions, to standing up for others even when it came at a personal cost. He taught us that everyone deserved the same access to hope and care, the same dignity, and the same forgiveness. One of his greatest legacies will not just be in lives saved and careers inspired, but in the way he made people feel—seen, heard, and not alone in their challenges.

As we say goodbye to a distinguished man, there is hope that he will not just be mourned, but a burning hope that his example will be carried forward. To innovate boldly, serve quietly, and never stop believing that a difference in the world can be made. Leadership is not always loud, sometimes it is steadfast with a passion to help others, to move forward with kindness and altruism, and to find meaning in life through contributions to your communities. Most recently, he and Linda have passionately advocated for organ and tissue donation and transplantation, work he wished her to continue.

We will miss his laugh, his jokes, his quiet stature of composure, and his refusal to settle for good enough in a world needing better.

He held us all upon his shoulders, most tenderly his family, and never once complained of the weight he bore. Dad, we thank you for the life you gave to so many, and especially the one bestowed on us. All who miss you will carry your values, your mission, and your memory forward—with every breath, every choice, and every act of doing the hard thing, when the wrong one is easier.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Linda; sons, Adam (Yuzu) and Nate (Michelle); daughter, Cailin (Darren); sisters, Kathy (Tom) and Louise; grandchildren, Rosie, Sullivan and Charlie; and extended family.

With all our love and gratitude, Dad, your family misses you beyond words.

A celebration of Greg’s momentous life was held on May 31 at the Champions Ballroom, BMO Centre, Calgary.

To honour Dr. Powell’s memory and charitable spirit, donations are appreciated in his memory to STARS (www.stars.ca), Foothills Country Hospice Society (www.countryhospice.org), Alberta Transplant Institute (https://ualberta.alumniq.com/giving/to/medicinefunds), or the Body Interventional Radiology Hub, Foothills Medical Centre c/o Calgary Health Foundation (www.calgaryhealthfoundation.ca), or a charity for which you are passionate.