David Haw

He was born in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), the son of Albert, a Methodist missionary, and his wife Kathleen. The family returned to England 18 months later after Albert contracted tuberculosis, and David was not yet five when his father died.

David went to Prior's Court Preparatory School, near Bath, and then on to Kingswood School, near Bath. Here he developed an interest in natural history, art and became an accomplished athlete – interests that continued into adulthood.

During the war, the whole school was evacuated to Uppingham School in Rutland.

In 1944, David became a medical student at Leeds University where he met Majorie Hetherington who was also studying medicine. In March 1948 they were married in Christ Church, Silloth, Cumbria. Their daughter Judith Mary was born in December the following year, and the next year they graduated.

David ran competitively, winning many trophies for one, three and six-mile track events, but it was at cross country that he excelled. He won the 1947 Amateur Athletics Association Northern Counties Senior Cross Country Championship, was Northern Counties Champion and he

represented England. He ran competitively until his mid-30s, and from 1975 to 1977 was President of the Northern Veterans Athletic Association.

He was also a gifted amateur artist and organised a major art exhibition at Leeds University where paintings by Paul Nash and other major British artists of the 1930s and 40s were exhibited.

His interest in painting continued throughout his life but his major pieces were completed in his 20s and 30s.

In medicine, David specialised in orthopaedics, completing his training in Leeds, Manchester and London. He would later become a member of the British Association of Clinical Anatomists and of the Children's Orthopaedic Society.

He travelled widely both on family holidays and later as secretary – for seven years – and then president of the Holdsworth Travelling Orthopaedic Club. In this role he demonstrated his pioneering spirit by arranging meetings outside Yorkshire – Germany and California being two of his choices.

A member – and later chairman – of the Thirsk and Malton Conservative Dining Club, David was a sociable man with the happy knack of establishing a rapport with people from all spheres of life. He was also a gardener, raising roses and vegetables on an extensive plot at the family home outside York.

In his professional life, David led by example, his dedication and compassion inspiring those who worked with him.

Remembered with great affection, he is survived by his wife Marjorie, their sons Roger and Marcus, daughters Judith Catherine and Sally, and 11 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.