Sidney A. Blubaugh |
| Posted 2009-10-16 by Pat Wilson |
| Dr. Sidney A. Blubaugh of Phoenix, AZ passed away June 22nd, 2003. He was 67. His death was unexpected and a tremendous shock to his family, his patients, the Phoenix community and his many friends. Dr. Blubaugh was the oldest of three sons of Alfred S. Blubaugh and Pauline Arnold. He was born March 5th, 1936 in Perry, Oklahoma. His father died in 1948 and the family moved to Wichita, Kansas where he was raised and schooled. From the time he was twelve he expressed that he wanted to "be a doctor". At that same age he went to work washing dishes at St. Joseph's Hospital in Wichita, Kansas. He worked his way from washing dishes, to delivering meals, to janitor, to operating scrub, to scrubbing in on surgery while still in high school. Some years later he returned to St. Joseph's Hospital as an intern. He went through high school at St. Mary's Cathedral graduating in 1954. He received a Bachelor of Science Cum Laude in Biology from Regis College in Denver in 1958 and his M.D. degree from the University of Kansas in 1962. His internship in Wichita was from 1962-1963. Dr. Blubaugh then went on to a residency at Massachusetts General in Boston with the Harvard Medical School completing in 1965. He held a faculty appointment with the University of Kansas Medical School from 1969-1972 and became Board Certified in Family Practice in 1972. It was at this point that Dr. Blubaugh chose Phoenix to practice his considerable medical, diagnostic, and personal skills. In 1972 until 1977 he was Director of Emergency Services at St. Joseph Hospital, Phoenix. He was in private practice in Phoenix from 1977 until the day of his death. He had always said he loved his work so much he was not going to retire but that he was going to work until the day he died. And that he did. He taught in the Family Practice Department in Phoenix's St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center and was a resident instructor at Good Samaritan Hospital. Phoenix Magazine included him in their "Top Ten Family Practice Physicians - Elected by their Peers" for the years 1995, 1996 and 1997. He was named "Family Physician of the Year" by the Arizona Academy of Family Physicians, a statewide association with a membership of 1300. In making the latter award the Academy noted: "Sid Blubaugh is a well-loved physician who has served the Phoenix community with comprehensive and caring medical services for more than three decades". In 1997 he was a primary force in forming the Physicians Healing Guild which is an informal multidisciplinary group of 20-25 doctors who are interested in the psycho spiritual aspect of their profession. This continued to be an area of great interest to Dr. Blubaugh. Dr. Blubaugh was a member of the American Academy of Family Practice and the Arizona Medical Association. He served as elected president of the Arizona Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians 1974-1975. Chairman of the Family Practice Committee, St. Joseph's Hospital 1981-1984 and from 1997 until his death. He was the Medical Director- Blue Cross Blue Shield- Community Health Plan in 1995. When not involved in medical matters Dr. Blubaugh was exploring another love which was the sea. He was at one time an active sailor. He cruised in a nuclear submarine. Most of his sea adventures, however, were vicarious. He was an avid reader of naval history and a daunting naval historian. He once lamented that he was running out of books on naval history. Just as in making a diagnosis he was highly accurate and complete with his facts of naval history, especially covering World War II. He was a strong Navy supporter and worked with the Department of the Navy since 1981. As a member of the USS Phoenix Commission he helped promote one of the few nuclear submarines named after a city. They were so successful the commander of the USS Phoenix and the Sailor of the Year rode in the Phoenix Fiesta Bowl Parade and also participated in educational programs at local schools. Even in light of these accomplishments, Dr. Blubaugh was and will be remembered most as a husband, father, mentor and friend. It was once pointed out that Dr. Blubaugh could talk to the most humble janitor or the most lofty CEO with the same clarity, candor and sincerity. He was non-judgmental, accepting people for who they were and what they were. He is survived by Renee his wife who worked side by side with him in his practice. He leaves nine children, Christy, Kathy, Julie, Kelly, Debbie, Margo, Lori, Julie, and his son Russ, ten grandchildren, five great grand children, two brothers, Jon A. Blubaugh, Lawrence, Kansas and Jim Blubaugh, Castle Rock, Colorado. Services were at St. Gregory's. There was a visitation and memorial service on Thursday, June 26th. Flowers may be sent or contributions made to Hospice of the Valley, or the American Cancer Society in Dr. Blubaugh's name. Published in the Arizona Republic from 6/25/2003 - 6/26/2003. |
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