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Requiescat
In Pacem |
| This page is dedicated
to all our fallen brother and sister PAs who have gone on
to Eternal Rest. For those who wish to have their fellow VAPAA
Physician Assistants listed here, please contact the President
for permission. Photos and memorial cards must be of good
quality. sent directly to the webmaster, and may not be returnable.
Thank you and may they rest in peace!. |
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IN
MEMORIAM |
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On Monday, February 11th
2008 at 4 pm
We all lost a dear friend and colleague
Alan John
"AJ" KENT
America lost a hero today.
A loving and devoted wife lost a loving
and devoted husband.
Two children lost the “world’s
greatest father”.
The profession lost one of its founding
fathers.
Many veteran patients lost a compassionate
caregiver.
God lost a solider in his earthly army
for goodness.
This man was indeed an enigma:
- He was the toughest, yet gentlest soul I have
ever met.
- He railed against injustice, yet paused
to pick up a fallen fighter.
- He could become quiet and thoughtful,
yet passionate beyond words.
There is nobody who ever met him who could ever
forget him.
He was the bedrock upon which the VAPAA
and PAs in the VA were built.
He was a marine’s marine; retreat
and withdraw were not in his vocabulary.
He could be the first to take the high
and mighty down a notch and yet the first to pick-up
the down and out.
He remembered and lived the adage: “never
forget from whence you came.”
He was so many things to so many people
and he did every role like it was his ONLY
job. Yet, he would always pause to pull
someone slower along with him.
He was a great man, yet he never cast a shadow
because he was never full of himself.
He could (and often did) on your behalf
squeeze a penny until it turned into a dime.
He could have been anything, gone anywhere,
achieved any fame he sought; and yet he was
humble and was happy to be our Treasurer and dedicated servant.
As I have said, he was many things to many people
(all of them good).
But, MOST OF ALL – To me and I know
to many of you, he was simply:
BROTHER AND FRIEND!
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The earthly world has
lost a kind, gentle and loving spirit. The
time we had with him was a blessing to us all and this world
will be a much darker and lonelier place
without him.
But, I guess God needed somebody to help keep the
books straight and he was called home today,
February 11th, 2008. God’s Corps has gained a great
spirit and while we grieve this loss of
our loving friend, in his humble and so understated way
he would simply say to us all:
PEACE
We will (and already do) miss you our brother,
but I for one am glad that God has him watching
“the books”. Guess I’d better stay squeaky
clean, because AJ won’t miss a penny
(or heaven’s equivalent): The books will be right
and we’d better be.
Semper Fi, AJ, you will live on in our hearts and
our organization forever.
WE LOVE YOU BROTHER!
John P. Fields, MPAS, PA-C
President, Veterans Affairs Physician Assistant
Association (VAPAA)
Funeral arrangements were completed on Friday, 15 February
2008. He was laid to rest by his family, friends and many
admirers. Rest in PEACE, AJ. Rest in PEACE! He always called
me "brother" and "friend"...he was truly
both to me! - Joe Streff, Webmaster and Friend
Link to the Obituary
in the Mining Gazette
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| (No Photo of Frank Kett is available) |
Eddie
Jay Thomas - 2002 |
Frank Kett was a former Air Force
medic and a founding member of VAPAA. He was the secretary
and newsletter editor for the VAPAA until his untimely
death in February 1993. He was, in fact, working late
at night on his computer and emailing our own Bob Eshleman,
when his light was snuffed out prematurely as a victim
of a murder-suicide.
We thank him for many years of dedication to the organization.He
will be remembered fondly by those of us who knew him.
Frank
Kett - d. 1993
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ALFRED D. THORMAN, PA-C
1948 - 2000
Al Thorman, PA-C, a graduate
of Cleveland Clinic, worked in civilian practice in Florida
and then at Mountain Home (TN) VA and finally here in VA
Gainesville, Florida for many years, was president of the
Florida academy of PAs inj 1981-82 and again in 1985-86.
He was a member of VAPA, moved to Texas, and past away July
26, 2000 of an apparent cardiac arrest at the age of 52
while playing tennis as the Captain of his team. - Phil
Irwin
See
FAPA Memorial Page
Al
Thorman - d. 2000 |
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ROBERT SCULLY, PA-C
1935 - 1983
See
FAPA Memorial Page
Of note is that there is also a Bob Scully
Award presented by the Society of Army PAs for Outstanding
Service to the Society.
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If anyone knows of other VA PAs who
have passed away, please let us know. |
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