Sebastian was born on October 22, 1921, in Basseterre, St Kitts. Sebastian was the son of
Joseph Matthew Sebastian, who was a Member of the Legislative and Executive Councils of
Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla until his death in 1944, and Inez Veronica Sebastian (née Hodge). He studied at
Mount Allison University,
New Brunswick, where he obtained a
BSc degree. He entered
Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he studied medicine and graduated, in 1958, with a
MDCM degree to become a
surgeon. He served in St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla as pupil teacher, learner/dispenser, chemist and druggist, laboratory technician, senior dispenser, medical superintendent and obstetrician–gynaecologist. He was Chief Medical Officer of St. Kitts and Nevis from 1980 to 1983. From 1962 to 1966, he pursued training at the
Dundee Royal Infirmary,
Scotland in obstetrics and gynaecology. Sebastian was a rear gunner during
World War II in the
Royal Canadian Air Force, Captain (Surgeon) in the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force, local physician to His Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales (
Prince Charles), when His Highness visited St. Kitts in 1973 (the Prince of Wales visited the island to open the newly restored
Prince of Wales Bastion, 1 June). In addition, he was ADC to the
Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla Premier,
Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, when Bradshaw went to Buckingham Palace on the occasion of Her Majesty's 25th year on the Throne. Sebastian received the Auxiliary Forces (Officer's) Efficiency Decoration (ED), and was made an Officer of
Order of the British Empire (OBE) (civil division) from
Queen Elizabeth II in 1969. He was knighted as a
Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished
Order of St Michael and St George in 1996, and was made a Knight of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem (KStJ). Dalhousie University honoured him with an Honorary Doctorate of Laws, in 1998, and in 2005 he received an Honorary Doctorate from
Mount Allison University. On 5 July 2002, he received an Honorary
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) of
Edinburgh in Scotland, for his outstanding career and service to humanity in the field of medicine. Prior to
Edinburgh, he received an FRCS in London. In 2005 the
College of Arms granted him his personal
coat of arms. On 3 March 2012 Sebastian welcomed the
Earl and
Countess of Wessex to St Kitts and Nevis during their visit to the Caribbean as part of
Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. On 1 January 2013 Sebastian retired as Governor-general of St Kitts and Nevis. There was a retirement ceremony, during which he made a speech. Sebastian died at his home, in St Kitts, on 25 March 2017 at the age of 95. == See also ==