Yellowknife, N.W.T. - Friends and colleagues of Dr. Ross Wheeler gathered Monday at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre to say goodbye.

Wheeler died last Thursday, ending a career in medicine which lasted more than 40 years in the NWT.

One of those who paid tribute was Dr. George Gibson, who knew Wheeler for almost all of those 40 years.

Gibson said they became friends during Wheeler's time with the Canadian Forces.

"He was in the army at the time and I was in private practice, but we were good friends right from the start," he said.

Both Gibson and Wheeler ended up in private practice for a number of years and Gibson says Wheeler's specialty at the time was in anesthetics.

"He kind of shared the anesthetic load for quite a number of years. He was a very accomplished anesthetist and I gave anesthetics as well," he said.

Wheeler also served as a doctor at Stanton Hospital and worked mainly as an addiction specialist for nearly 20 years.

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