Born in 1929 Seelye was the only daughter of Hans and Tuekla Hersch.[1][2] The family left Nazi-occupied Austria, coming to New Zealand via Dubrovnik.[2] Her father was a doctor, who retrained in medicine at the Otago Medical School and set up in general practice in Auckland.[2] Seelye attended school in Dunedin, did correspondence schooling and gained her matriculation at age 15.[2] She completed a BA in 1948 in Auckland and her medical degree at the Otago Medical School in 1953. In 1954 she married chemistry lecturer Ralph Seelye.[2]
After trying general practice Seelye took up a position as an anaesthetic registrar at Auckland Hospital.[2] In 1960-1961 she was awarded a Fellowship in Science at the University of Oxford; there she gained her FFARCS.[2][3] She returned to New Zealand in 1962 where she and Dr Marie Simpson were appointed as full-time anaesthetist specialists at Green Lane Hospital.[4][5] From 1978 to 1985 when she retired she was head of the anaesthesia department; she was succeeded by Simpson.[5] She became an FFARACS in 1968 and FANZCA in 1992.[2]
Seelye and Simpson were part of the cardiothoracic surgical unit and contributed to developments in cardiac perfusion, catheterisation and the care of patients in intensive care. She researched and published on anaesthesia, cardiopulmonary by-pass and other topics.[2][5]
Seelye died in Auckland City Hospital on 12 November 2010.[1]
Ralph and Eve Seelye Charitable Trust
The Seelyes had no children and set up a charitable trust for educational purposes which funds scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students and fellowships at the University of Auckland and University of Otago.[2][6][7][8][9][10]
^Roche, E.H.; Roche, A.H.G. (1983). Green Lane saga : a record of Green Lane Hospital, Auckland, in the development of cardiology and cardiothoracic and vascular surgery. Ray Richards Publisher. p. 215. ISBN0908596189. OCLC11218575.
^ abcHutchinson, B.R. (1990). Green Lane Hospital: The First Hundred Years. Auckland: Greenlane Hospital Centennial Committee. pp. 10–12. OCLC154625094.