Devotion to his profession, community and family were always the top priorities for Dr. Jerry Philippson.

Gerald Johann Philippson, one of three influential doctors who all served Chemainus faithfully at the same time for decades, died July 18 at the Glacier View Lodge in Comox. He was 93.

He was predeceased by his longtime colleagues Dr. Gordon Heydon and Dr. Larry Fenton.

“Jerry was very involved with his patients and the town,” noted Rondeau Fenton, Larry’s widow who still lives in Chemainus. “He was a real ‘people’ person. He was on the school board, a Rotarian and participated in many Chemainus events, including the introduction of the murals to Chemainus.

“He practiced here for 40 years and the three doctors at that time were fondly referred to as Larry, Curly and Moe, Jerry being Curly!”

Fenton added Philippson also loved skiing and fishing.

“He lived a good life and was privileged to serve his patients and his community,” pointed out daughter Karla Sandwith, who lives in Comox. “He seemed to capture the hearts of many people over the years.”

Besides Sandwith and her spouse, Philippson is also survived by sons Dr. Dan Philippson, a general practitioner in Duncan, and Dr. Jay Philippson, an orthodontist in Duncan, and their spouses, plus 12 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

“He certainly was ‘larger than life’ in many respects as I was growing up,” added Jay.

Sandra Heydon, Gordon’s widow, noted they moved to Chemainus from Vancouver in 1955, the Philippsons arrived a little more than a year later and then the Fentons followed a few years after that.

“Since that time, we enjoyed a long history of friendship,” Sandra pointed out. “In addition to Jerry and Gordon working together, we were very close friends and for years we were also next door neighbours. Our families grew up together – our children, Keith and Elizabeth, and the Philippsons’ children Dan, Karla and Jay.

“Even though the guys had very busy work schedules with office hours, 24-hour on-call ER rotation, house calls, surgeries and even an office in Crofton, we managed to find time to have lots of fun times together – such as family holidays, boating, water skiing and picnicking, badminton tournaments, pool parties, barbecues, Grey Cup parties and so much more. We also had a great group of mutual friends. We had lots of fun together over the years.”

Jerry was a very likeable person, Sandra indicated. “He was also very involved in the community. We worked together on a number of committees.”

Carol Jansch was the office nurse at the Chemainus hospital for many of the 40 years with Philippson, Heydon and Fenton and enjoyed a unique relationship with each one, both personally and professionally.

“We did a lot with families,” she said. “It was fun knowing him (Philippson). We had our ups and downs, too. They were professional, but they were lots of fun. It was not professional all the time. That’s what made it fun.”

Few longtime Chemainus residents would not have known Jerry through his practice or community involvement.

“The many tributes and kind words we receive as the news trickles out bring much comfort,” Sandwith indicated.

Philippson spent his early years as a cannery kid at the historic North Pacific Cannery at Port Edward, south of Prince Rupert, where he developed a love of fishing and a wealth of knowledge about the sea.

Philippson attended a one-room school house for his early education. He eventually went to a larger school in Vancouver and, while thinking of pursuing fisheries management like his dad, a friend suggested he consider medical school. Philippson did exactly that and met his eventual wife of 67 years, Anne, while he was at UBC.

After completing his internship in 1957, and with two small children by that time, the Philippsons moved to Chemainus where their third child was born and began to establish their long, rewarding life in the thriving sawmill town.

Jerry joined Dr. Dick and Dr. Heydon to begin his medical career and Dr. Fenton joined the practice a short time later for a partnership that lasted nearly five decades.

Drs. Heydon, Philippson and Fenton were at the forefront of a booming time in the community and participated fully in many social and cultural activities. They also set a high standard for the doctors who followed in their footsteps.

“Jerry was the first physician I met in the Chemainus clinic in late 1991 as I had been told there was a job opening,” pointed out Dr. Ken Pettapiece. “Over a very few minutes it was clear we got along and that continued for decades. Jerry became a true mentor to me as well as a friend. He had years of clinical knowledge he shared but almost as importantly in a small town, he told me who was who and who was related to who.

“His knowledge of medicine, anesthesia and counselling was broad. He incorporated hypnosis into his practice and influenced me with its application. At one point, I asked him to talk to the Hospice Society about hypnosis/visual imagery and in that meeting he showed us what the mind could do by taking the whole Hospice Board on a trance-like journey. I later incorporated some of this imagery in my anesthesia practice to relax patients as they drifted into a general anesthetic.

“I value the many times we would have a beer and talk about just about anything, a true friend and one who lived a full life.”

Philippson was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Chemainus Rotary and the Chemainus Mural Society and served on the school board of the Chemainus-Ladysmith School District and, after amalgamation, the Cowichan School District.

He made the most of his spare time with woodworking, fishing, gardening and many other outdoor pursuits.

Philippson was also an avid reader and loved to write, including a regular Mural Memories column in the Chemainus Valley Courier.

In 2016, Jerry and Anne relocated from Chemainus to the Comox Berwick Retirement Community. Jerry transferred to Glacier View Lodge in Comox in 2021 after Anne died.

Related story: Anne Philippson’s devotion to her community and family unsurpassed

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking people to consider donations in Jerry’s honour to their desired charity.

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