Dr. Walter John Henry of Port Jefferson passed away on March 23, eight days before his 98th birthday. Henry was born in Brooklyn, to Walter William and Elizabeth Henry on March 31, 1927. He attended Boys High School in Brooklyn. After completing his high school education, he entered the medical program at Columbia University, went on to graduate from New York Medical College in 1952 with a specialty in thoracic and vascular surgery.

He had a love of music, playing the saxophone and clarinet in the Columbia University marching band. His memory of Columbia’s unlikely victory over the U.S. Military Academy at West Point was a favorite he liked to regale.

He took his musical talents, formed a band and played the resorts in the Catskills and various venues in New York City.

He began his surgical career as a ship’s surgeon, working on two ships and was honorably discharged from his duties from the Santa Rosa in 1955. While working at the New York V.A. Hospital in 1962, he met the love of his life, Nurse Nancy Medor. They married two years later and ultimately built their forever home in Belle Terre, NY. They had two children, Walter John Henry Jr. (Wally) and Susan Elizabeth Prewitt.

Henry is survived by his wife, Nancy; two children, Wally and Sue; grandchildren, Jordan, Caroline, Zachary, Ella and Walter John Henry III; and his sister, Patricia Godfroy.

Patricia Godfroy had interests in writing, history, fishing, travel and sailing. He taught his son to sail. When Wally took an interest in racing, they took to racing their sailboat together. The racing bug really caught on and in 1992, Wally was on the crew that won the America’s Cup.

Henry retired after 31 years as Chief of Surgery from St. Charles Hospital. As to how he felt about retirement, he said, “what I do miss is daily contact with patients, doctors, nurses and office/hospital personnel”. During his tenure at St. Charles Hospital, both he and wife, Nancy were bestowed the Theodore Roosevelt Award by the hospital for outstanding and exemplary service.

As to the patients he touched in his lifetime, he was very proud to receive the gift of the following words:

Doctor’s Hands

I never knew that hands could be

So gentle, kind and true

Until I watched their skill perform

The blessed tasks yours do.

No artist ever plied his brush

With love of art so pure;

No sculptor ever used his tools

With strokes so deft and sure.

I think God blessed your kindly hands

From ages past and dim

Because he loves the work you do

In partnership with him.

Henry’s greatest joy came from spending time with family. He and Nancy sailed in New England and at their second home on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. They played tennis and took many cruises. Retirement allowed ample time to spend with their children and grandchildren.

Visitation took place on Sunday, March 30 at O.B. Davis Funeral Home in Port Jefferson Station.