Alastair Macdonald; Retired Physician

Alastair Macdonald, a longtime Van Nuys general practitioner and surgeon, has died at a Tarzana hospital. He was 79.

A Tarzana resident, Macdonald died Saturday of complications of a stroke, his son, Cameron Macdonald, said.

Born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Macdonald graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School and came to California where he worked for a few years as a physician at the former Ross-Loos Medical Group in Los Angeles.

During World War II, he served as a ship surgeon in the Royal Canadian Navy, returning to Ross-Loos in 1948. He opened his medical practice in 1953 in Van Nuys where he worked until his retirement in 1982. Macdonald had also been on the staff at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys and the former West Valley Community Hospital in Encino. He was a member of the British United Services Club in Los Angeles.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Gloria Macdonald; son Cameron Macdonald of Sepulveda; daughters Alexis Raleigh of Garden Grove and Janet Reiter of Houston, Tex.; brothers Colin Macdonald of Toronto and Ian Macdonald of Windsor, and four grandchildren.

A memorial service is scheduled for 4 p.m. today at Praiswater Funeral Home, 5849 Van Nuys Blvd. in Van Nuys, which is handling the arrangements. Donations can be made in Macdonald’s name to American Brotherhood for the Blind, 18440 Oxnard St., Tarzana 91356.