Lionel Canaan was born in England where he received his medical education before travelling to the United States. He finally settled into practice in Massapequa Park where he was much respected as a family doctor and it was said of him that he "always kept his fees as low as possible". He wrote short stories about the travels of a surgeon through ancient history. When he died at his home on 30 May 1985 he was survived by his wife Katherine, their sons Harold and Richard and five grandchildren.