TRIBUTES have been paid to a ‘kind and humble’ doctor who was dedicated to his work.

Dr Owen Wetherell passed away peacefully at the Rivermead Nursing Home, Norton on December 28 aged 83.

Born in Selby, Dr Wetherell went to St Peter’s School in York before studying at Cambridge University and then St Mary’s Hospital in London, qualifying as a doctor in 1961. He married Hilary in 1958 and the couple, who went on to have three children, Simon, James and Nicola, moving to Malton in 1964 where he worked as a doctor until his retirement in 1998.

Dr Wetherell’s son Simon, who is also a doctor, said:”My father was always very interested in people and looking after them. He had a very broad spectrum of work looking after his patients from birth to the end of their lives.”

“He never judged people and was happy to treat everyone from the richest to the poorest of poor and had a close links to the Romany community.”

Simon said his father had been very involved with fighting to save Malton Hospital.

“He was very supportive of small general hospitals and wanted the services to continue there as much as possible. My father liked being part of the community and was always dedicated to his work, often going out to see his own patients, even when he wasn’t on call.”

Following his retirement as a GP, Dr Wetherell worked on benefit agency tribunals and the Rowntree Trust until he was 75.

Simon said: "He lived at his beloved Eden House for over 30 years, restoring it to its former glory working alongside Terry Brockless. After taking full retirement dad enjoyed fishing, tennis, gardening and skiing. He also spent more time with his grandchildren, who he was ver y close to and of whom three are also now doctors.”

Simon said that even after his retirement a trip to the supermarket often took much longer as former patients stopped to talk to him.

“Dad was a kind and humble man with a great sense of humour and no airs or graces. He was a true old fashioned and much respected GP.