Our beloved father died peacefully, in Plymouth, England, on April 1, 2024, at the age of 86. Robin is survived by his children, Paul Nichol (Paula), Kirsten Eastwood (Joe Bilé), Hugh Eastwood (John Holmes III) and Alexander Eastwood (Hilary); his grandchildren, Amanda, Victoria, Sophie, Christian, Georgia and Phoebe; and his sister, Margaret. He was predeceased by his daughter, Harriet; and his brother, Martin.
Robin was a highly intelligent, erudite and charismatic man, born and bred in Yorkshire. Music and academic achievement shaped his boyhood. He earned a scholarship to Southwell Minster School as a cathedral chorister before going on to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh. In Edinburgh, he delighted in exploring new intellectual horizons and driving through the city in his British racing green Jaguar E-type. Robin went on to specialize in psychiatry and gerontology, resulting in a distinguished career which took him to London, Tasmania, Toronto, St. Louis, and back to England. For nearly three decades, he was a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, a title and position in which he took much pride, and served as staff physician and Chief of Geriatric Psychiatry at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry. In the care homes in which he spent his final years, Professor Eastwood
was emblazoned on the nameplate on the door of his room.
He possessed a formidable grasp of current affairs (often attributable to The Economist, of which he was a loyal subscriber), and was known to intimidate his children's prospective suitors by grilling them if they had read, say, A Passage to India. He enjoyed writing, authoring over 200 academic publications, and frequently contributing to The Lancet, where he was both an editor and witty columnist. He held a deep and abiding respect for the value of education above all, and a love of learning which he instilled in his children.
Robin approached life energetically. He was a fierce athletic competitor, playing rugby and running cross country as a young man, before turning his sights on decimating tennis and squash balls at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and the Toronto Racquet Club. He was also a creative cook, replicating complicated recipes from Gourmet magazine at Christmas, and leaving an absolute mess in the kitchen for others to clean up. In his other enthusiasms he was consistent: classical music, gardening, dogs, British naval history, and a cold pint.
In his final years in Devon, Robin battled dementia, the disease to which he had devoted his career as a physician, clinician, researcher and advocate for mental health. Our thanks to everyone who made his life more comfortable at the end. In particular, his carer, Alison; and dear friends, Angela and Mavis, who were kind and generous visitors.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).