Tributes flow for Dr Stan Green after his death, aged 90

Devoted husband, father, doctor and mentor Dr Stan Green died at the weekend after a career and a life that touched thousands of families and people.

The medical fraternity and broader community is mourning the death of beloved Queensland GP Dr Stan Green this week following his death at the weekend. Dr Green was dearly loved by all who knew him for his gentle generous genuine spirit. He will be missed by many.

The medical fraternity and broader community is mourning the death of beloved Queensland GP Dr Stan Green this week following his death on Sunday, September 17.

The devoted family doctor, husband and father practised medicine in the Gympie region for 35 years before spending another decade working as a locum across Australia.

A stalwart of the community and a pillar of integrity and kindness, Dr Green was the much-loved husband of Pam, father of Sue, Craig, Debbie and Netty, father-in-law of Rob, Nicola, David and Damian, and grandfather of Chris, Andrew, Frin, Jacob, Sophie, Chelsea, Barty, Anna, Harriet, Jonny and Poppy.

The original surgery rooms in Channon Street were part of the family home from 1963, now Kingston House Impressions Restaurant, before a separate practice was built in 1974.

Dr Stan Green and his wife Pam out front of Kingston House, where they raised their family, and which is now a popular Gympie restaurant.

He has been remembered as a wonderful, compassionate doctor with unstinting devotion, care and attention to his patients, on occasions at the expense of family time.

In an age before mobile telephones, the Green family had two separate landline phones. The surgery line could ring at any hour of the day or night, weekday or weekend.

It was common for Dr Green to be woken in the middle of the night for a house call in town or to a rural property. In these instances, he would hurriedly pull on trousers and a jumper over his pyjamas, before making the drive to see his patients.

Pam and Stan Green. The medical fraternity and broader community is mourning Dr Green's death at the weekend.

Dr Green would always sit in the back pew at Surface Hill Uniting Church, in case he was summoned for professional duties and had to make a quick exit.

He was also a useful audience member, being called upon to render medical assistance to a James Nash student who had cut their head backstage during his daughter Netty’s school concert in 1983.

Throughout Dr Green’s many years in Gympie, he was an active community member, involved with numerous sporting teams, political groups, and serving on the boards of many organisations (often as chairman) including the Gympie Ambulance and various local hospitals and nursing homes.

He was an active member of the Gympie Rotary Club for more than 25 years with a 100 per cent attendance record, which was achieved by attending many overseas Rotary meetings whilst on holidays with Pam.

Dr Green was bestowed with Rotary’s highest honour of a Paul Harris Fellow award for his outstanding contribution to his community.

THE FAMILY: Dr Stan Green and wife Pam surrounded by their children and partners, and their 11 grandchildren.

He and Mrs Green were inaugural members of the James Nash High School P&C, on which Dr Green served as the first vice-president in 1977, and subsequently as president for many years. He was a member of the Buderim Probus Club, loved to play golf and took up lawn bowls.

In retirement he and Mrs Green travelled extensively, and Dr Green enjoyed having more time to spend with his family, especially cherishing time with his 11 grandchildren.

In June 2023, he turned 90. He was married to Pam for almost 65 years.

While he worked long hours late into the evenings, and was often called out overnight and on weekends, Mrs Green recalled that no matter the late hour or how tired he was, he would always stop by his sleeping children’s bedrooms to kiss their foreheads goodnight.

His children remember accompanying him on his hospital rounds some weekends and holidays, and how pleased his patients were to see him and the children.

Former colleague Dr Rod Day, who retired in 2020, described Dr Green as a “very lovely man who meant a lot to me”.

“He touched many lives - colleagues, patients and friends,” he said.

“As for his influence on me - it was very significant.

“He was my GP as an adolescent in Gympie and he supported my dream to be a GP.

“I was welcomed into his practice when I was a medical student and would assist he and Dr Walker and Dr Bryce in theatre when I was on holidays.

“He asked me to join his practice several years after I graduated which I did in January 1981.

“It was there, under his mentoring and support I gained my skills and love of medicine - in particular, family medicine.

The medical fraternity and broader community is mourning the death of beloved Queensland GP Dr Stan Green this week following his death at the weekend.

“He had such a loving, caring nature and so many of his patients, which later became my patients on his retirement, will remember that warm reassuring hug he would give them as they departed his rooms at the end of a consultation.

“He would never rush a patient and was invariably late as a result but everyone accepted that as the price you pay if you want to see Dr Green.

“Medicine in Gympie and the lives of the people he treated was richer from the care of Dr Green.”

Former Gympie teacher and fellow Rotarian Rod Kyle met Dr Green on the first day he arrived in Gympie in 1979, and quickly formed a strong respect and admiration that only grew stronger with time.

“I respected the man greatly. He was a thorough gentle man,” Mr Kyle said.

Dr Green was a quiet, unassuming, caring, professional, ethical, trustworthy and kind person who treated everybody the same no matter their status, wealth or background, he said.

”I never ever heard him speak ill of anybody, and I never heard him raise his voice.”

Gympie businesswoman Gay Lohse said when she thought of Dr Stan Green she smiled.

“How well I recall him calling the children and me at times ‘Scallywag’. Such an endearing term and

said with love kindness and incredible patience,” Mrs Lohse said.

“My first meeting with Dr Green was at Gympie General Hospital when he gave me the anaesthetic for a tonsillectomy etc for Dr Robertson.

“I was 12 years old. Dr Green was a young doctor on staff at GGH then following a career that his father had chosen after pharmacy but never got to complete due to illness and his subsequent death.

“Dr Stan, who served in our community, has paid a great tribute to his father by becoming one of the most dedicated, kindest, caring and thoughtful doctors. How fortunate we were to have Stan among us.

“Another time in our life I well remember, my first baby aged two needed surgery. Preparing our little boy for the tonsillectomy, Dr Green gathered him up in his arms and carried him from our room to the theatre just chatting and cuddling him all the way up the veranda at the old Glandore Hospital.

“Every patient and the family were treated as though they were his very own.

“Probably the most eventful time was 45 years ago last Friday 15 th September when after all the ups and downs of preparing for a multiple birth, Dr Green came to check on me in the labour ward with Pam all beautifully gowned in red and Stan in the dinner suit and bow tie on their way to the AMA dinner meeting.

“Dr Stan had the best bedside manner for all his patients and especially the children and babies. My children were never afraid to go to see Dr Green. I remember going to see Dr Green when the family lived in Kingston House and for a time the surgery consulting rooms were downstairs underneath.

“Whenever I dine at Kingston House I can’t help but think of Dr Green, Pam and the family living

there.

“I should mention my thoughts of the nursing fraternity of Gympie who worked with Dr Green over his career. Suffice to say they all thought very highly of Dr Green with his respectful caring and considerate manner to fellow doctors, nursing staff and ambulance staff in this community.

“Stan Green was a very active and committed Rotarian having served as President of the Gympie Rotary Club in 1982/83 and I saw firsthand the community work he did as a member for the Gympie community and beyond.

“I know he was awarded a number of certificates for 100 per cent attendance and he would do door to door collection for The Red Shield Appeal and other Rotary activities in this community.

“Highly respected in the Masonic Fraternity I would often meet up with Stan and Pam at Installation Dinners etc at the Masonic Temple in Channon St.

“Dr Stan had a distinctive speaking voice and it was a joy to hear him present a speech. I can still recall his warm engaging laugh. Stan served as Master of Pioneer Lodge in 1976.

“Stan and Pam and the family were regular attendees at Surface Hill Uniting Church and I will say Stan lived and demonstrated his faith over his lifetime.

“I always saw Dr Stan Green as a great example to his family and all those whose lives he touched, for his commitment to the medical profession, his understanding and compassion to his patients, his love of his community, his honesty and integrity in all his dealings and above all his absolute kindness and gentleness in all his ways.

“May Stan, nature’s gentleman, rest peacefully, his earthly labours done.”

Dr Green was dearly loved by all who knew him. He will be missed by many.

A celebration of his life will be held on Monday, September 25, at 10:30am, at the Buderim Uniting Church, 2-10 Gloucester Rd, Buderim.