After a complicated illness, Fay passed away at Toronto General Hospital on November 21, 2025 at age 92. Survived by her husband of 64 years, Dr. John H. Dirks, her sister Heather Inman, her four children and spouses John Mark (Catherine), Peter (Tara), Martha (Michael) and Carol (James) and grandchildren Julia, Claire, Olivia, Nicole, Matthew, Andrew and Rachel. Predeceased by parents Mark and Georgina (Livingstone) Inman and grandson Samuel.

Born on July 11, 1933 in Clyde River, Prince Edward Island, Fay grew up with her parents and sister in London, Ontario, where her father was Professor and Chair of Economics at the University of Western Ontario. A very accomplished student, Fay was one of only four women to graduate from UWO medical school in 1957, doing so as the gold medalist of her class. During her residency at the Montreal General Hospital, she met her husband John in 1960, marrying in London the following year. Fay became a widely respected internal medicine specialist and leading medical educator. After additional training at the National Institutes of Health (Washington DC), she held professorships at McGill, University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto, and the Aga Khan University (Karachi, Pakistan), retiring in 1998. At every point, in her long medical career, she was highly respected and beloved by her colleagues and students, for her professionalism and high standards, and for hosting many memorable dinners and parties. Throughout a lifelong international career, Fay was John’s essential partner for a rich and sociable academic life.

Fay was a very devoted wife, sister, mother and grandmother, having an intense personal interest in the lives of all of her family and always up for a chat. She formed many close and lifelong friendships wherever she lived. She was known for her wonderful warm hospitality and ease of conversation, both at their home, and especially at the summer home on the south shore of PEI that she shared with her sister. This was a true rallying point for her family for over 30 years. She was interested in art, travel and antiques, and was a superb cook, and an avid reader of fiction and biography. She enthusiastically followed political and nature programs, and became an avid sports enthusiast –Triple Crown horse-racing, NFL football (Kansas City Chiefs) and especially baseball. She was a devoted fan of the Toronto Blue Jays, wearing her 2025 team jersey during the World Series. An active church member, Fay faithfully served for many years on the chancel guilds at Little Trinity and St. Paul’s Bloor Street Anglican churches, as well as serving on the board of Wycliffe College. She rarely missed watching services online, when failing health kept her from attending in person.

Her family thanks Dr. Catherine O'Brien and the wonderful team of surgeons, physicians, nurses and other health care professionals at the Toronto General Hospital, especially the ICU where she spent the last two weeks of her life. We are most grateful for the excellent care they all provided.

A funeral service will be held at St. Paul’s Bloor Street Anglican Church in Toronto on Saturday, November 29, 2025 at 11 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor would be welcomed to the following charities:
The Yonge Street Mission, St Paul’s Bloor Street, UHN-Toronto General Hospital Department of General Surgery and the Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit.