Mrs D, as she was known by all, was a passionate advocate for the profession.

Graduating in the first cohort of physiotherapy students in Western Australia, she commenced work at the Perth Chest Hospital, which opened in1958.

As one of only two full-time physiotherapists on staff, Mrs D would be on call every second night and work every second weekend.

Due to the discriminatory nature of industrial awards at that time, as a married staff member she was not appointed on a permanent contract until many years into her tenure.

Following its reclassification as a teaching hospital, the Perth Chest Hospital was renamed the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, or ‘Charlies’ as it was better known, in 1963.

Ishbel Durkin shortly before her retirement. 

During this period the hospital expanded rapidly and Mrs D established a seven-day, 24-hour physiotherapy service with over 60 full-time employees.

When the new hospital (G Block) was built in 1983, Mrs D advocated for a larger physiotherapy department, including a hydrotherapy pool on the ground floor of A Block, and this continues today.

Her passion for excellence was contagious.

Many successful Western Australian physiotherapists are indebted to their earlier days under Mrs D’s guidance.

She was fiercely protective of her staff and woe betide anyone who dared criticise any of her charges.

While feared by some, she was a highly respected and much loved leader who has left her mark on the physiotherapy landscape in Western Australia.

Mrs D’s passion for fishing was legendary, with staff members benefiting from the fruits of her spoils.

While there is no scientific evidence to support this, there are rumours that the herring stocks around Fremantle have more than doubled since she finally hung up her rod.

Mrs D is survived by her husband Phil, who was a physiotherapy lecturer at Curtin University (formerly Western Australian Institute of Technology); her daughter Helen, a physician; and her son-in-law Roger.

>> Ian Cooper, Nola Cecins and Tracy Hebden-Todd