Patricia Kailis

Patricia Kailis AM OBE was a medical doctor, researcher and successful business entrepreneur who passed away on April 17, 2020 at the age of 86. Along with her husband Michael George Kailis, she established the MG Kailis Group in 1962. She became governing director when her husband died in 1999. Dr Kailis was born Patricia Hurse in Victoria on 19 August 1933. She studied medicine at Melbourne University and in 1958 moved to Western Australia for a job at Royal Perth Hospital. She and her husband moved to Dongara in 1961 to establish a crayfish factory. Dr Kailis became the local general practitioner while the business expanded into ship building, prawning in Exmouth, and pearling in Broome, later establishing Kailis Jewellery in 1978. Dr Kailis was involved in medical research for many years and used her medical expertise to contain the spread of disease in the family’s pearl farms by insisting on hygienic practices in the processing of oysters. Her measures all but wiped out the disease, having a profound impact on the industry. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, a Member of the Order of Australia and awarded the Centenary Medal for her contributions and service to medicine, science and the community. She is survived by four children - Maria, George, Amanda and Alex.