Grafton doctor Bill Cayzer remembered as beloved family man, community champion

Loved ones of a Grafton grandfather and retired GP who sadly lost his life to a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma have spoken of his dedication to family, patients and community.

Bill Cayzer, who worked as a GP for nearly 40 years, is remembered as a loving family man. Picture: Supplied

A Grafton grandfather and retired GP who sadly lost his life to a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has been remembered as a dedicated doctor and beloved family man.

Bill Cayzer’s family and former patients have paid tribute to the doctor of 37 years at Grafton, who was entrenched in the community and often made house calls.

Dr Cayzer and his wife Jenny moved to Grafton in 1980 and the general practitioner was thrust into caring for the community.

Daughter Ash Cayzer said: “His phone was never switched off. He would see patients at all hours, day and night.”

Speaking to the Daily Examiner when he retired in 2017, Dr Cayzer reflected on the diversity of the profession in earlier times.

“In those days I used to call Grafton the medical utopia because you had the hospital work, patients expected you to do what you were comfortable doing, and didn’t come and ask you to refer you to their specialist, so you could do what you wanted to,” he said.

After 37 years as a GP in Grafton, Dr Bill Cayzer decided to hang up the stethoscope.

“We all did hospital work, and now very few GPs can do hospital work.

“Back in the ’80s, most GPs did obstetrics and then we had specialists that covered pretty well everything as well.”

Brisbane-born Dr Cayzer moved to Sydney at age 12, where he attended Barker College, becoming dux in his final year.

He completed a degree in electrical engineering, but decided it was not for him. Dr Cayzer went on to study medicine and graduated from Sydney University in 1976.

Dr Cayzer met Jenny – the love of his life – at Taree Hospital 46 years ago.

“Dad mustered the courage to ask out the 19-year old ‘Belle of Taree’, as he described her, and later that night wrote in his diary – which he kept right through his life from age 15 – that he was in love,” his daughter said.

“Two weeks later, they were engaged.”

On his arrival in the Northern Rivers, Dr Cayzer set up his practice at South Grafton Medical Centre.

Jenny and Bill Cayzer enjoyed a great adventure to Europe. Picture: Supplied

He also worked at Grafton Hospital, doing many hours in casualty, visited local nursing homes, and made “incalculable numbers” of house calls.

Dr Cayzer reflected how the nature of being a GP had changed in his chat with the Examiner.

“Doctors probably do a 60-hour week now, back in the ’80s we did a lot more than that, could have been an 80 or 100-hour week,” he said.

“Now a majority of our work is chronic illness, and as people are living a lot longer there’s more things wrong with them.”

Despite his professional demands, Ms Cayzer said her father always found time for his family.

Bill and Jenny Cayzer with their children Nigel, Anne-Marie, Laura and Ashleigh. Picture: Supplied

“At family dinners each night he annoyed us with questions about what we learnt today, who we played with etc. With dad, the family holidays were endless, and they continued right up until last year,” she said.

In his retirement, Dr Cayzer travelled, enjoyed morning walks with his dog Raider and enjoyed a Jack Daniels and coke religiously at 4.30pm each day.

Dr Cayzer remained upbeat until the end as he battled the rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma following his diagnosis last year.

Bill Cayzer is remembered as a loving family man. Picture: Supplied

Ms Cayzer said: “Even in his final days where one would be forgiven for reflecting on what the ‘wretched disease’, as dad described it, had taken from him, he wrote a list of all the positives of his life, and even the positives of this disease.”

“Dad was the best husband and soulmate for mum and the best dad and grandpa we could ever have hoped for.”

Dr Cayzer is survived by his wife Jenny, four children Nigel, Anne-Marie, Laura and Ashleigh, and his seven grandchildren Maddie, Ollie, Max, Luca, Billy, Joey and baby Leo (on the way).