Gordon George Wingard, III (Dr.) |
| Posted 2017-01-23 by Judy Wight Branson |
| The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Sunday, January 15, 2017, page 5a Dr. Gordon George Wingard III, 46, died in his home on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017 in Prescott, Arizona, from complications related to metastatic colon cancer. He is survived by his wife, Jill Pfister Wingard; his mother, Anne Chew and her husband, Norve Chew; and his sister, Kate Starick, her husband Chip Starick and their three children Tegan, Kira, and Bode. Gordon was born Dec. 25, 1970, to Anne and Gordon George Wingard II in Boone, North Carolina. He spent much of his youth in Salamanca, New York, making life-long friends, getting into a little trouble and earning salutatorian at Salamanca High School in 1989. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Rochester in 1993 with a degree in Cell Biology. It’s alleged that few were his equal in the mastery of the Nick Tahou garbage plate. He received his Doctorate of Medicine in 1998 from the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and graduated at the top of his class. From 1998 to 2001 Gordon trained and specialized in emergency medicine at Maricopa Medical Center where he served as Chief Resident. Gordon attained the rank of Major while serving four years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed at Andrews AFB in Washington, D.C., during the September 11 attacks. He cared for critically wounded soldiers while serving as a flight physician for the mobile field surgical team stationed at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. During his deployment, Major Wingard flew numerous medical evacuation missions to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. Upon returning to the U.S., he was a member of the critical care team that accompanied Presidential missions to Mexico and Africa. Dr. Wingard moved to Prescott, Arizona in 2006 where he worked as an emergency room physician. He was awarded Doctor of the Year at Yavapai Regional Medical Center in 2014. Gordon was the smartest person in the room. He was funny and complex. He was a lover of music and food. He lived by the axiom “your mountain bike should cost more than your car.” He travelled around the world and was always doing new and exciting things. Holding court with his friends was one of his favorite pastimes and he could spin a yarn that would hold anyone’s attention. He was a wise-ass once or twice. He was calming and reassuring. He had an energy about him that made us all feel special. All any of us ever received from him was a long, steady stream of kindness. Gordon was a good man and will be missed. In the end, he said he was not afraid to die. He said he was not suffering or in constant pain. He said he lived a life worth living and was ready for his next adventure. A memorial visitation with family and friends will be held from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 at Heritage Memory Mortuary at 131 Grove Ave in Prescott. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, Gordon asked for donations to be made to the Jimmy Carter Foundation for the Guinea Worm Eradication Program. Information provided by survivors. |
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