WILLIAM (Bill) Monaghan has been remembered for his enormous contribution to St George Hospital, his "passion for patient care" and for being "a lovely bloke".
Dr Monaghan's roles as a doctor to the St George and Newtown rugby league clubs and the NSW and Australian teams was also highlighted after his death last Wednesday. He was 87.
After many years as a GP at Riverwood, Dr Monaghan was appointed the first full-time director of St George Hospital's emergency department in 1974 and, later, medical superintendent.
After retiring in January 1991, he continued to work at Calvary Hospital and was also a medical officer for Hurstville Council.
He was also involved in his church community at Oatley and was recently recognised for 20 years' service as a scripture teacher in state schools.
Dr Martin Mackertich, director of clinical services at St George Hospital, said Dr Monaghan had "an ongoing passion for patient care".
"Highly respected by staff and well-liked by his patients, he made enormous contributions to the health care system, patient care and student education," he said.
"He was particularly instrumental, during the 1970s and 1980s, in the development of St George as a teaching hospital and planning for the hospital redevelopment in the early 1990s.
"He will be profoundly missed by all those who had the pleasure of knowing him."
Dr Monaghan's wife Joan died in 2005. Their son, Gregory, who was a cardiothoracic surgeon at St George Hospital, died in 1994.
He is survived by three sons, Phillip, Paul and Anthony, a much loved daughter-in-law Margaret and three grandchildren.
Dr Monaghan's funeral will be at St Mary's Cathedral tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10.30am.
‘A TEACHER AND MENTOR’
NSW Rugby League chairman and former player George Peponis was a student at
St George Hospital in 1974-76 when Dr Monaghan was the emergency department director.
‘‘Bill was a teacher and mentor, and when I played for Australia, I was his patient,’’ he said.
‘‘He was a lovely bloke, an absolute gentleman, who always had a nice word to say. I had a lot of respect for his medical knowledge.’’
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