Reay Eakin was born on his father’s dairy farm on the upper Belmore River near Kempsey in northern New South Wales, the youngest of eight children of Irish immigrants Andrew Eakin and Johanna Agnes Ryan. He was educated at St John’s College, Woodlawn and then St Ignatius College, Riverview where he excelled academically and was awarded prizes in Mathematics and Science in his Leaving Certificate examinations in 1934. He entered the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney with an Exhibition, and graduated in 1940. He spent his student clinical years at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, the beginning of a life-long association. In 1942 after two years as Resident Medical Officer, he became Medical Superintendent. He joined the AIF in 1944, serving as Captain AAMC 2/2 CCS until 1946 when he commenced general practice at Strathfield. He was clinical assistant to medical outpatients at St Vincent’s in 1947 and in 1948 was appointed honorary assistant physician.

Post-graduate studies in the UK in 1949-50 were followed by another year of general practice. In 1951 he began practice as a consulting physician initially in Macquarie Street and later in the St Vincent’s Medical Centre. Reay trained as a general physician and remained so until he retired from practice. He was appointed senior physician in 1962 and elected FRACP (1960) and FRCP (1963). He was also a consultant physician at St Joseph’s Hospital, Auburn from 1951-1980. His interest in allergy led to his appointment as the first Physician to the St Vincent’s Allergy Clinic. He retained a life-long interest in this specialty and was President of the Australian College of Allergy. He was chairman of the Department of General Medicine, the Division of Medicine and the Medical Board of St Vincent’s.

Reay was the second member of his family to enter the medical profession. His elder brother, Dr Matt Eakin, practised for many years as an obstetrician and gynecologist in Brisbane and was involved with the establishment of the Brisbane Mater Hospital.

A most effective teacher of clinical medicine Reay had a friendly manner, which attracted patients, colleagues and students. He took a personal interest in his students. He demanded of them a high standard but brought a kindness and a sense of humour to his teaching rounds, putting both patients and students at ease.

In 1941 he married Kathleen Sallaway. It was a most happy and fruitful marriage with nine children, five sons and four daughters. Reay was a devout Catholic, a wise and loving husband, father and grandfather, and a loyal member of the St Vincent’s family. His love of telling stories was accompanied by his devotion to his beloved pipe. Ill health compelled him to retire from practice in 1990. He died in Brisbane on 14 October 1993 from a ruptured aortic aneurism.