Dr John B Lee:IN THE Ballyhoura hills in the southeast corner of Co Limerick lies the scenic village of Kilfinane. It was here that John Baptist Lee was born on the feast day of St John the Baptist, June 24th, 1915.
His father William was the dispensary doctor for the district and Lee was the second youngest of 10 children.
The family lived in idyllic surroundings in the large dispensary house near the village. Lee often accompanied his father on visits to patients in the surrounding farms, frequently by means of pony and trap.
Sadly his father died suddenly in 1926, and unfortunately the Free State government had not by then initiated a pension scheme for government employees.
Lee was educated at St Munchin's College in Limerick, where his eldest brother, Fr Paddy Lee, was a staff member. He made his first visit to Dublin in June 1933 to sit the entrance examination for dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons. Dublin was to be his home for the next 75 years.
Despite contracting pulmonary tuberculosis in 1937, which necessitated surgery and a prolonged convalescence, Lee qualified as a dentist in autumn 1939. He then accepted a part-time house surgeon post at the Dublin Dental Hospital, for which the remuneration was £1 a week.
In 1941 Lee established a private practice on the Upper Rathmines Road. For almost 50 years he was dentist to many families and his kindness and soft deep voice often reassured a nervous patient.
In an effort to advance his knowledge and, because no postgraduate dental education existed at the time, Lee and his great friend and colleague Jim Keith commenced medical studies.
They qualified in medicine in 1945. In that year, Lee met Eugenie (Gene) Barry Walsh at a New Year's Day dance in Kilmallock, Limerick. A great friendship developed, not least through a mutual interest in sport.
Gene was impressed with Lee's prowess as an athlete and rugby player. On one occasion he had been pipped at the post in the 120 yard-hurdles by Irish champion Eddie Tobin. He had also played on the winning College of Surgeons rugby team in 1935 and 1936.
They married in 1950 and had four children.
Lee had a great sense of duty and served for almost 50 years in various capacities which helped to advance dentistry and, by extension, the quality of care offered to dental patients in Ireland.
He is fondly remembered by generations of students at Dublin Dental School as a teacher of prosthetic dentistry. With his vast experience and gentle manner, Lee had an ability to impart valuable clinical advice which could not be gleaned from any textbook.
He also lectured and examined at the Royal College of Surgeons and ultimately became a fellow of the college.
Lee joined the Irish Dental Association in 1941 and served as president in 1969. His greatest contribution was possibly on the international advisory committee that formulated the dental directives of the European Community. Lee was international president of this committee from 1978 to 1982.
Following the introduction of the Dentists Act in 1985, Lee served for two terms on the new Dental Council. He was also involved in the foundation of the Irish Dental Benevolent Society in 1949 and only retired from the committee in recent years.
Lee's outstanding contribution to dentistry in Ireland was recognised two years ago when he and his contemporary, Walter Allwright, were made a special presentation by the Irish Dental Association.
As if all of these extra commitments were not enough, he also found the time to write two books: A History of the Irish Dental Association 1922-1972 and The Evolution of a Profession and of its Dental School in Dublin. Indeed, up to the week of his death, Lee was editing a second edition of the latter text.
On retirement from practice in 1989, Lee and his wife had more time for walking, gardening, watching sport, books and history.
They enjoyed an active retirement together, travelling around Europe and on various tours with the Antiquarian and Horticultural societies.
Lee particularly enjoyed his time with the Rathgar Active Retirement Association and developed a keen interest in bowls.
Although he lived most of his life in Dublin, Lee remained a passionate supporter of Munster rugby and Limerick hurling. He returned regularly to his native place and especially enjoyed the Kilfinane summer school.
Devoted to his family and a man of deep personal faith, Lee drove Gene to Mass at the Church of the Three Patrons, Rathgar, on Christmas Day. Sadly, his funeral Mass took place at the same church less than four weeks later.
Lee died on January 19th, 2008. He is survived by his wife Gene, children Adrian, John, Muriel and Vivien, and grandchildren Andrew, Rachel, Rosalind, Sinead, Siobhán, Gillian and John.
Dr John Baptist Lee: born June 24th, 1915; died January 19th, 2008