Stewart A. VerNooy Jr., a third-generation Cortland County physician, passed away peacefully at his Venice, Florida home on Monday February 20th 2017. He was 84 yrs of age.
Dr. VerNooy was a graduate of Northfield Mount Herman¬ Prep school (1950) & then Amherst College (1954). As an Air Force ROTC scholar at Amherst College where he lettered in lacrosse, he hosted a weekly poker game to supplement his income. After graduating from Amherst, Dr. VerNooy matriculated at Jefferson Medical College where he graduated with honors in 1958. During this time at Jefferson, Dr. VerNooy developed lifelong passions for medicine, emergency care and opera. Driving an ambulance on weekend nights and serving as an usher at the Philadelphia Philharmonic inculcated these deep devotions to medicine & music.
Dr. VerNooy did his residency at Tripler Grant Army Hospital in Pearl Harbor, Oahu. In short order, he was promoted to chief Internist at Tripler because he demonstrated an avid dedication to emergency medicine. His ROTC obligations would later place him as a triage surgeon for Vietnam Medical evacuations.
Dr. VerNooy resigned his officers commission 1966. He then moved his young family to Cortland, NY., where he started a private practice. In every story about this move, he loved speaking about the importance of being close to family and the natural beauty of the area. His love of family and the Finger Lakes region is one of the most cherished gifts he passed on to his children and their families.
Dr. VerNooy was an innovator in the field of medicine. His advocacy of midlevel practitioners as first providers led to a paradigm shift in delivery of medicine. This was especially important in rural Central NY. He was the founder and director of Cortland Rural Health Services. He also served as the Medical Director of then named, Cortland Memorial Hospital.
Dr. VerNooy was a patron of the arts and was 1 of the 23 charter members Of Cortland Reparatory Theater which opened its doors in July of 1972. He was a sailor, surfer, singer, tennis player, golfer, and a jack of all trades although he would add, "a master of none". Some of his projects included rebuilding his lake cottage with his children, culling trees & splitting for firewood, deck & dock building, roof repairs & many electrical installations.
Dr. VerNooy is predeceased by his parents, Stewart A. VerNooy & Mary Otts-VerNooy, also a sister, Mary Carroll Mahoney.
He is survived by his wife of 19yrs, Ursula Neff-VerNooy; his sister, Gretchen Abbott; His son, Stewart VerNooy III; his daughters & sons in law, Jennifer VerNooy Pedro Franco, Rebecca VerNooy Ledger Free, Emily VerNooy Jeff Murtha; his stepsons & daughters in law, Michael & Kjirsten Neff, Brian & Jennifer Neff and all of his beloved grandchildren, Samantha, Olivia, Emile, Henry, Grace, Charles, and Ledger.
Please make donations in Stewart's name to the Disabled American Veterans, St. Petersburg, Florida, VA Regional Office, P.O. Box 1437, St. Petersburg ,FL 3373.1