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Dr JOHN (JACK) WOOLRIDGE (1925 - 2018)
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Dr John "Jack"
Woolridge made
an invaluable contribution to the Sutherland Shire community over more than 60
years and was also a highly successful race-horse breeder. A legendary figure at
Sutherland Hospital due to his devotion to patients, Dr Woolridge died on March
14 after a long illness at 92. He had worked until he was 90,
Dr Woolridge, who lived at Cronulla, started as a GP in
the shire in the mid-1950s and progressed to become a specialist general
physician and cardiologist.
He was one of the first four Honorary Medical Officers
at Sutherland Hospital after it opened in 1958 and he later played a major role
in the opening of its coronary care unit.
Away from work, he was a passionate lover of horse
racing and owned the highly successful Inverness Stud at Bowral. His purchases
included Songline, the mother of one of Australia's racing greats, dual Cox
Plate winner Sunline. Dr Woolridge bought Songline in New Zealand. The owner
wished to keep her foal, Sunline, whose success no one could have predicted.
Dr Woolridge's wife Suzanne (Sue) - his first wife Jill
died after a long illness - said her husband was "clever, charismatic and
extraordinary".
"He devoted his life to his patients with skill and
saintly caring and kindness," she said.
A FULL LIFE
Jack was born in Nowra in 1925 and his family moved to
Kingsford in Sydney about 1930. Jack and his sister Thelma attended Daceyville
Public School.
When he was in sixth class Jack sat for the Qualifying
Certificate and topped the state, which saw him accepted into Sydney Boys High
School (SBHS). He passed the Leaving Certificate in 1942. When he turned 18 he
joined the Royal Air Force (RAAF) and was posted to New Guinea and New Britain.
Jack started medicine at
Sydney University in 1947 and graduated with honours in 1954. He was
offered a residency at St Vincent's hospital and, following that, went into a
general practice with Dr Eric Miles at Sutherland.
Sutherland Hospital opened in 1958 and Jack was one of
the first four Honorary Medical Officers.
Jack relinquished his general practice in the early
1960s, practicing as a General Physician in rooms at Caringbah and in Macquarie
Street. Jack continued working as a well respected world class cardiologist
until November 11, 2015 when he was 90 years old.
By MURRAY TREMBATH
First published by The Leader April 11, 2018
For further details about the life of this legendary doctor and racehorse
breeder read Murray Trembath’s online obituary