A hardworking community man, a war veteran and a well-known veterinarian in the Pontiac and Ontario, Dr. Roly Armitage was recently recognized for his efforts in his community.

On April 25, Armitage was presented with the Order of Ontario in Toronto. A prestigious civic award that honours. . .

residents who have excelled in their field and who have made outstanding contributions to life in their communities.

“I humbly accept. If there is anything I can do for somebody, I do it,” said Armitage.

Currently living on his farm in Dunrobin, 97-year-old Roly never did anything for the recognition or to receive any accolades. “I’m a leader I know that because I don’t like following,” he said.

A decorated Second World War veteran, he was also a member of the Royal Canadian Artillery, serving on the Western Front of the European Theatre. He joined the army at the young age of 16, he told The Equity.

When asked why community work was important to him he said that’s the sort of person he is, but it also stems from the hard days spent at war. He shared that during the war he slept on the ground for 10 straight months and said if he ever got out he’d make sure that things were different.

“That time I said, if I ever get in a position I’m gonna make everything nice, and that I can do. I’m very appreciated here, everybody’s good to me, that’s why I get these damn awards,” laughed Armitage.

Although throughout his life he has been awarded and recognized for his efforts, when asked what his biggest achievement in life he said it’s building a family, “I have been fortunate.”

He is a father to Ann Webster, Blake, Don, and Mick Armitage and husband to Mary Spearman.

Following the war, he went on to obtain Veterinary Medicine and Doctor of Veterinary Surgeon degrees from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph.

The first time he saw a man in a suit, he was as a young boy living on his family farm. Armitage was fascinated by how he could make the animals better and said to himself “that’d be a good job sometime.”

As a veterinarian, Armitage specialized in horses. He lived and worked for about 20 years in Shawville.

After graduating, he went straight to Shawville. At the time, he was sent there to test cattle for different diseases. Working there he enjoyed the region and was fond of the people, and after a year, he decided to move and open and operate his clinic in town.

One of his veterinarian achievements was being one of the first people to diagnose rabies in horses during his time, he pointed out.

When they were living in Shawville, Mick recalled when he was 14 years old and his family was heading to go to a wedding when his father got called to birth a calf. Without skipping a beat his father drove up to Quyon to tend to the cow.

“There he was that all dressed up to the nines, we stop and dad takes off his shirt takes off his tie. He had an old apron or something and he put it on and he delivered the calf, then washed up in a pail, put his suit back on and we made it to the wedding with about five minutes to showtime,” laughed Mick.

Mick and his siblings were all very proud of their father for receiving this honour. “He earned everything he got,” said Mick.

As a vet he was always on call, going to help out farmers at the crack of dawn to serve the community. There was never a dull moment pointed out Mick, there were always horses or dogs and cats that the house and farmers in and out of the clinic growing up.

“I remember one time we went to a farm and he had to do a cesarean and so he cuts the incision, and I’m right up to my elbows inside the cow holding back whatever organs while he’s delivering the two twin calves, like eight inches from my face,” said Mick.

There was always something to do with his father, he said. He was always working and helping people out. “But he was always humble, He was always helping the people that didn’t have too much.”

After some time Armitage had to move his clinic to Ontario. One of the reasons was due to French language requirements in the region, as much as he liked the language he said it was difficult for him to learn it.

“They said I might have to learn French. I said no, I can’t do that. They said well you don’t have an option, and I said well, I’m gone,” explained Armitage.

Since then he has worked and lived in Dunrobin. He retired as a veterinarian in his 70s because it got too difficult to do his job right.

“Now I forgot how to die, and I’m still here,” he said.

As a council member in Shawville, he ensured that everyone in the community got water to their homes because at the time people would pump water rather than it come straight from the tap, he explained.

Along with the different jobs he held over the years, Armitage is also a published author. He wrote a trilogy of autobiographical books about his life as a war veteran and a dedicated veterinarian.

He looks forward to maintaining friendships and keeping the people that are close in his life close by, and taking care of his health. One thing he did that kept him in good shape was the fact that he used to run and always used to exercise.

“Maybe I’ll make it to 100,” he said.

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