OBITUARY: Simon Cox was appointed consultant general surgeon in 1976 at Watford General Hospital.

He was a highly skilled surgeon and a pioneer of vascuale surgery in Watford. He was regarded as an excellent doctor with great compassion and much loved by patients and colleagues.

Simon James Cox was born in Malaya in 1940, where his father died during the Japanese invasion while incarcerated in Chanai. Simon and his mother escaped to England to live at West Mersey.

Simon was educated at Christ’s Hospital and then St Thomas’ medical school where he graduated MBBS in 1965.

He married first wife Ruth Startin in 1966 and had three children Hermione, Richard and Nicola and for many years lived at The Green, Croxley Green before moving to Scotland after retirement with his second wife Julie.

After graduation he had worked at Watford General for Sir John Richardson and later as registrar to Gordon Loosemore.

He obtained his FRCS in 1970 and was then appointed consultant surgeon at Watford General.

He was one of the first doctors to introduce multi-disciplinary teams in the treatment of breast cancer and would later play a part in the purchase of the old Bushey Maternity Unit, which was sold to BUPA for development and later became its flagship hospital.

After leaving the NHS he continued in private practice until 2003 when he retired permanently to Scotland.

Mr Cox was an exuberant character who loved sport and enjoyed hunting and fishing and had a passion for the outdoor life.

He died aged 69 on Sunday, October 11, in Scotland after a brief illness.

A celebration of the life of Simon will be held at 11am on Wednesday, December 9 at The Ramada Hotel, Watford.