Obituary of Leesha Gregory Zed
<p>Surrounded by his loving family, Dr. Leesha Gregory Zed passed away peacefully at the Saint John Regional Hospital on April 5, 2010. He was born at home over his parents’ grocery store on Prince Edward Street on January 27, 1929 in Saint John, N.B., the sixth child of the late Leesha H. and Josephine M. (Simon) Zed.</p> <p>Like his brothers and sisters he worked in the family grocery business getting his drivers license at age 13 for the deliveries, as his older brothers were enlisted in World War II.</p> <p>He graduated from St. Vincent’s Boys School in 1945, Saint John High School in 1946 and received his Bachelor of Science degree from St. Francis Xavier University in 1951. In 1955 he married Amelia Jane Aboud of Toronto who was the mother of his seven children and predeceased him in 1984. </p> <p>He graduated from the University of Toronto with his Dental Surgery degree in 1957 when he returned to Saint John to practice for 44 years at 101 Carleton Street.</p> <p>He dedicated his life to his family, his community and to dentistry, where he had one of the largest practices in the province. He loved to sing to his patients and moved between his many chairs to the latest musical hits. Dr. Zed was joined in practice during his career first by his nephew, Dr. Michael Zed, then by his daughter, Dr. Susan Zed Barry, and his youngest son, Dr. Christopher Zed, practises dentistry in B.C.</p> <p>He is survived by his wife, Nadia Marie (Habib) Zed, who he married in 1988.</p> <p>Dr. Zed is also survived by his seven children, Paul, Dr. Susan Barry (Dr. Michael), of Rothesay, N.B., Sandra Zed Finless (Don), of Ottawa, Robert Zed (Dr. Joanna), of Halifax, Gary Zed (Lisa), of Ottawa, Dr. Christopher Zed (Jennifer) of Vancouver and Kathryn Zed (Michael Barton) of Ottawa. He is also survived by his brother Ronald (Sadie) Zed, Saint John, sister Eileen Younis (late Joe), of Reading, Mass., and sister-in-law, Mrs. Velmore M. (Pauline) Zed, of Saint John. He was predeceased by his brother, Dr. Velmore M. Zed and his sisters Annette Tibbett (Fred) and Virginia Zed.</p> <p>Leesha was a provincial and national leader in the field of dentistry. He served as the President of both the Saint John and the New Brunswick Dental Societies, and was the founding President of the Atlantic Provinces Dental Convention Association. In the early 1970’s he initiated the dental department at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Saint John and was Chief of Dentistry from 1974-1993. He was a member of the Medical Advisory Committee of St. Joseph’s Hospital and the Dental Staff at Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation for more than 30 years. As a director of the National Dental Examining Board of Canada for five years, Dr. Zed represented New Brunswick in developing guidelines and protocols for graduates preparing for board certification. During his distinguished career he has memberships in numerous national and international dental associations including Honourary Life Member of the New Brunswick Dental Society, a Fellow of the International College of Dentists, Fellow of the American College of Dental Surgeons, Member of the Pierre Fouchard Academy of Paris, Federation Dentaire Internationale, London, England.</p> <p>In 1991 he was the first recipient of the University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry Alumni Award of Distinction for his contributions to the profession. Both Leesha and Amelia shared the importance of a university education and were supporters of many schools including Dalhousie University where all seven of their children graduated. In 1994 in recognition of Dr. Zed’s commitment to family, the advancement of dentistry and his strong support of Dalhousie University, he was awarded an Honourary Doctor of Laws. </p> <p>Dr. Zed also contributed to the Saint John community in many other ways serving on the United Way of Greater Saint John, the Advisory Committee of the Boy Scouts, Canadian Red Cross, a Canadian Cancer Society volunteer, founding member of the Junior Achievement Saint John, the Catholic Bishops Committee on Education, Chairman of the Special Bishops Overseas Relief Fund and the Parish Council of Holy Trinity Church. He was a parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. He was a member of the Westfield Golf and Country Club, Riverside Country Club, Parrtown Club, Probus Club, the Canadian Lebanon Society and an active member and volunteer of the Liberal Party of Canada, Saint John and New Brunswick attending many provincial and local conventions.</p> <p>His greatest joy after dentistry was spending time with his children and his twenty-two grandchildren. Giddee will be dearly missed by 22 grandchildren, Dr. Amelia, Kaitlyn, Andrew, Caroline, Michael, Keiller, Victoria, William, Kenneth, Olivia, Jonathan, Geoffrey, Colin, Gregor, Connor, Alexandra, Liam, Christopher, Sam, Stella, Pippa and Clare.</p> <p>Resting at Fitzpatrick’s Funeral Home, 100 Waterloo Street with visiting on Tuesday, April 6 from 7 p.m.to 9 p.m. and on Wednesday, April 7 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.</p> <p>Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Rothesay Road, Rothesay, at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 8. Interment will follow immediately in St. Joseph’s Cemetery.</p> <p>For those who wish, remembrances to the Boys & Girls Club of Saint John, the Teen Resource Center or St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation. Arrangements entrusted to Fitzpatrick’s Funeral Home, Saint John, N.B. 506-634-1965 <a href="http://www.fitzpatrickfh.com/">www.fitzpatrickfh.com</a></p> <p>Our most grateful thanks to the doctors, nurses and support staff at the Saint John Regional Hospital palliative care unit and a special thanks to Leesha’s home caregiver, Anne.</p> <p> </p>
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