Who was Dr David Goodall, when was his death in a Swiss euthanasia clinic and who was the Australian scientist’s wife?
DAVID Goodall shot to fame after announcing as a centenarian he was sick of his declining health and ended his own life in a Swiss euthanasia clinic on May 10.
Here is all you need to know about the world famous scientist who made the decision to end his own life after over a century of living.
Who was Dr David Goodall?
David Goodall was born in 1914 and went to St Paul's School in London, UK.
He got a PhD in 1941 during the Second World War.
He was Australia's oldest scientist after defying efforts by his university to force him into retirement.
But the Perth resident felt he’d lived long enough.
While he was not terminally ill, he had poor eyesight and struggled to get about.
So the brainy prof decided to end his life on his own terms with the aid of a voluntary euthanasia group.
How old was the Australian scientist?
Dr Goodall was 104. But on his birthday in April 2018 the botanist, ecologist and emeritus professor revealed he was sorry he lived so long.
He told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: "I greatly regret having reached that age. I'm not happy. I want to die. It's not sad particularly.
“What is sad is if one is prevented. If one chooses to kill oneself, then that should be fair enough.
“I don't think anyone else should interfere."
Was Dr Goodall married?
Over his very long life, Dr Goodall had been married three times.
He married for the first time in 1940 to Veronica. They had one son.
He wed his second wife Muriel in 1949, with which he had two more children.
He had four children in all.
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When did he travel to the Swiss euthanasia clinic?
Dr Goodall left Australia for Switzerland on May 2.
In the week commencing May 7 he had an appointment with the Swiss group Life Circle and Erika Preisig who advises on assisted death.
Crowdfunding raised £8,000 for him to travel in business class to Switzerland.
A pal from the Australian pro-euthanasia group Exit International will go with him.
On May 10 it was announced by staff at the clinic that he had "gone peacefully".
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