Obituary of Francis Whitehouse

Dr. Frank Whitehouse, physician and sportsman, died at his home on January 10, 2009 at the age of 95. Born in Lynchburg, Virginia to Lawrence and Marguerite Whitehouse, he graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in 1934 with a BA degree. While at HSC, he was Editor of the campus magazine, letterman in track and President of the Pan Hellenic Council. He earned his MD degree from the University of Virginia in 1938 and went on to internships at Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal and Charity Hospital in New Orleans. As a Fellow at the Mayo Clinic in 1942, he volunteered for the Army Medical Corps where he served from 1942-1946 as a Major in general hospitals and lastly as the Chief of Medicine at the 13th General Hospital in Osaka, Japan. He returned to the Mayo Clinic to complete his fellowship and graduated with a Master of Science in Medicine from the University of Minnesota. His research and thesis on congenital megacolon established the modern treatment of the disease. Upon returning to Lynchburg, he married the former Elizabeth Watts to whom he remained dedicated for 60 years. He practiced the specialty of Internal Medicine from 1947 until 1991and was known as a brilliant diagnostician to colleagues and generations of Lynchburg families who loved and relied on him as their family physician. He was a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, a Chief of Staff at Lynchburg General Hospital and Virginia Baptist Hospital and a former President of the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine. He served two terms on the Board of Trustees at Hampden-Sydney College and funded both a dormitory in memory of his parents and the Rare Book Room at the HSC library in memory of his wife's parents, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Watts. A lifelong interest in art allowed him to make major gifts to the Maier Museum at Randolph College and the Daura Gallery at Lynchburg College. His love of golf, duplicate bridge, hunting and skeet shooting resulted in numerous awards and opportunities for travel around the world. He greatly loved his family summer home in Ocean Point on the coast of Maine and it was there that his children and grandchildren forged a lifetime of memories of 'Papa'. An avid competitor, beagle hunting gave him years of opportunity as a beagle breeder, rabbit hunter and pack trial showman. His beagle packs brought home uncounted trophies and championships in major trials throughout the east coast. In later life, he became a contributing editor for 'Hounds and Hunting' magazine where he recounted over 50 years of experiences in the field. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Rotary Club, Bedford County Hunt, National Beagle Club, The Bedford Chitterling Club, and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland. Predeceased by his wife Elizabeth and his daughter Sarah Elizabeth, he will live in the memories of his children Frank and Donna Richardson Whitehouse (Benjamin Record and William Bennett) of Lynchburg, Thomas and Jenifer Bacon Whitehouse (Sarah Jane and Abigail Catherine) of Stanford , KY, Catherine and Richard Greene (Sean Richard Scott, Anna Elizabeth and David Carmichael) of Lynchburg and Robert and Sophie Desprez Whitehouse (Alexandre Clement and Eve Marie) of North Reading, MA. Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of the Public Library, 2315 Memorial Avenue, Lynchburg VA 24501, The Jubilee Family Center, 1512 Florida Avenue, Lynchburg, VA 24501 or The Maine Sea Coast Mission, 127 West Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609. The family will receive friends Thursday, January 15, 2009 from 7:00-8:30 pm at Diuguid Wiggington Chapel, 811 Wiggington Road. A celebration of Frank's life will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, January 16, 2009, at First Presbyterian Church, 1215 VES Road with the Revs. Megan Farwell and Walter Smith officiating. A private interment at Spring Hill Cemetery will precede the memorial service. Diuguid Funeral Service-Wiggington Chapel (385-8900) is serving the family.