Jack Mitchell Hay was born in Wellington, New Zealand, on 22 October 1920, the youngest child of Mr Justice Hay. His early education was at Hutt Valley Boys' High School and Victoria University College where he initially studied law for a year before proceeding to Otago University to study medicine, graduating in 1946. He spent the early years after graduation at Palmerston North Hospital and acquired an interest in general surgery at the time. He came to England for further experience in general surgery and orthopaedics and after passing the FRCS in 1953 returned to New Zealand. He married Margo Caithness, a staff nurse, in 1954 and two years later was appointed visiting surgeon at Palmerston North Hospital. In 1960 he obtained the FRACS. His interests in surgery were broad and in addition to general surgery and orthopaedics he also carried out gynaecological, urological and ENT surgery. He was a regular attender at professional meetings and served on the Dominion Committee of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the disciplinary committee of the New Zealand Medical Association and as President of its Manawatu branch. He retired from the hospital staff in 1985 but sadly his wife died in the following year. Although he continued to work at Horowhenua Hospital after retiring from Palmerston North his health was deteriorating and he died on 28 May 1988, aged 67. He is survived by his son David who is a medical practitioner in Auckland, and by five daughters, Jacqui, Suzie, Jude, Mere and Sarah.