In Loving Memory of Dr. Robert Edmund Lidkea

Founder, Mentor, Community Builder

1931–2025

 

Dr. Robert Edmund Lidkea founded Lidkea Optometry in Fort Frances in 1952

He dedicated more than seventy years to caring for the vision and overall well-being of his patients.

He began his career as the youngest practicing optometrist in Canada and retired on his 93rd birthday as the oldest practicing optometrist in Ontario, a remarkable reflection of his lifelong commitment to his profession and the community he proudly served.

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A Pioneer in Optometry

Dr. Lidkea graduated as a registered optometrist in 1952 from the College of Optometrists in Toronto, earning the Gold Medal for his outstanding achievement. He later completed his Doctor of Optometry in 1958.

 

For more than seven decades, he practiced in the same Fort Frances clinic building where Lidkea Optometry still stands today. Throughout his career, he mentored generations of students and colleagues and inspired many local young people to pursue careers in optometry.

Dr. Lidkea also played an important role in shaping the profession in Ontario and across Canada. He served as President of the Ontario Association of Optometrists from 1975 to 1976, advocating for stronger recognition of optometry’s essential role in health care.

His career spanned decades of change within the profession, from the early years before diagnostic drugs were permitted to today’s advanced, technology-enhanced eye care.

Service to the Profession and Public

Dr. Lidkea believed deeply that professional success carries a responsibility to serve others.

In recognition of his extraordinary volunteer service and leadership within optometry, he received the Ontario Association of Optometrists’ Millennium Award for Public Service in 2004. Over the years, he contributed extensively to both provincial and national optometric associations, serving on committees and initiatives that helped strengthen professional standards and expand access to eye health services.

His clinical work also had a profound impact on patient care. Long before advanced imaging technology was widely available, Dr. Lidkea frequently detected serious underlying health conditions during routine eye examinations, including brain tumors and ocular cancers, ensuring patients received timely referrals and life-saving treatment.

A Life of Community Leadership

Dr. Lidkea believed that “volunteerism is the price you pay to live in a good community,” and he lived that principle throughout his life.

Shortly after arriving in Fort Frances, he joined the Kiwanis Club, where he maintained decades of perfect attendance and served in leadership roles including President and Lieutenant Governor.

His dedication to community service extended to numerous organizations and boards, including:

• Fort Frances Town Council
• Fort Frances Museum Board
• Rainycrest Board
• District Health Council
• Provincial and regional emergency health committees

 

For his lifetime of leadership and volunteerism, Dr. Lidkea was named Fort Frances Citizen of the Year in 2007.

He and his family were also honoured locally with the “Test of Time” award recognizing the lasting contribution of Lidkea Optometry to the town’s health and business community.

His Legacy at Lidkea Optometry

Lidkea Optometry remains a reflection of Dr. Lidkea’s core values: compassionate care, clinical excellence, and unwavering service to others.

Beyond building a thriving practice, he created a culture of mentorship that supported students and young optometrists as they developed their careers—including his son, Dr. Bruce Lidkea.

Today, the team at Lidkea Optometry continues to build on his vision by integrating modern technology and advanced treatments while preserving the personal, relationship-based care that Dr. Lidkea modeled throughout his life.

A Lasting Impact

Dr. Robert Edmund Lidkea will be remembered as a devoted husband and father, a gifted clinician, an inspiring professional leader, and a tireless community volunteer.

His legacy lives on in the thousands of patients whose lives he touched, the colleagues and students he mentored, and the community he served so faithfully.