On July 6, 2012, Dr. Rita Shane, one of our most dedicated and colourful alumni, passed away. The first woman to graduate from Sir George Williams College (now Concordia University), Rita was the last surviving member of Sir George’s 1937 first graduating class, the “Guinea Pigs.” Just 9% of her 1942 McGill Medical School graduating class were women. After completing her medical degree at McGill, she interned at the Children’s Memorial Hospital, now the Montreal Children’s Hospital, and completed her training at the Jewish General Hospital. In 1946, she married Dr. Arnold H. Katz, MD’40, upon his return from service in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in World War II. After a temporary retirement following the birth of her son, Rita became Medical Director of a rehabilitation centre for addictions. She has been on the Board of Directors of the Association of Alumni at Concordia University for many years, and received their Award of Merit in 1992….
To read more about Rita: Montreal Gazette
July 23, 2012