Roger Wilson was born in Victoria, British Columbia on 28 May 1910, and was educated at Victoria College and the University of British Columbia, graduating MD CM at McGill in 1934. He then worked at the Mallory Institute of Pathology, and was an intern at the Montreal General Hospital from 1935-1937. He then came to London and undertook postgraduate studies at the Middlesex Hospital and University College Hospital and in 1938-1939 was on the junior staff of St James's Hospital Balham and passed the FRCS in 1940. Wilson then joined the RAMC and served in North Africa in the Western Desert and in Palestine and retired in 1946 with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Returning to Canada he was appointed to the surgical staffs of the Vancouver General Hospital, Shaughnessy Hospital and the British Columbia Cancer Institute, his chief interests being in gastroenterology and cancer surgery. Ultimately he became Vice-President of the Canadian Cancer Society. Wilson was a skilful and safe surgeon, an effective teacher, and his friendly manner was greatly appreciated by patients and colleagues. He was a member of several medical societies and became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. As an undergraduate Wilson distinguished himself at football and boxing and played squash and tennis well. He also enjoyed fly fishing. In 1941 he married Joyce Halley and they had two sons and two daughters, the elder son following his father into the medical profession. When he died on 29 October 1973 his wife survived him.