In Memoriam: Richard P. Whittaker, M.D.

He helped salvage bones in the wake of earthquakes and came to the aid of those who suffered in the 2004 tsunami. Richard P. Whittaker, M.D., a longtime board member of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC) in Pennsylvania, passed away from lung cancer on February 26, 2016. Dr. Whittaker, who was on the staff of PMMC for 39 years, was 75 years old.

Dr. Whittaker is survived by his wife Peggy; four children: Laura (Whittaker) Calizzi, Susan (Whittaker) Glenn, Dr. Scott Whittaker, and Keith Whittaker; 11 grandchildren; and his sister Susan Whittaker Castaldi.

A memorial service was held for Dr. Whittaker on March 18, 2016 at First Presbyterian Church in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Whittaker received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1966 and completed a rotating internship and residency at Pennsylvania Hospital as well as a residency in orthopedic surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

A former president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society and President of the Pennsylvania Orthopedic Society, Dr. Whittaker served as a major in the U.S. Army Reserve and later moved to active duty status, serving as a staff orthopedic surgeon from 1971 to 1974 in Panama. He joined the staff at PMMC in November 1974, and in 1977 was elected to the executive committee at the hospital. He served as a medical staff representative on the board of directors from 2003-2008 before becoming chairman of the board.

Richard Frantz is a member of the PMMC Board of Trustees. A longtime colleague and friend of Dr. Whittaker, Frantz noted, “He was an individual who realized that he was blessed with many talents and wanted to give back. He was a wonderful, caring guy.”

“During his 39 year tenure, Dr. Whittaker touched many lives by being a physician in the community he loved. Not only the lives of his patients, but also many of our nurses, physicians and volunteers as well. People here fondly remember him with words such as mentor, caring, dedicated and always positive—and such stories about how he would cross-country ski into the ER during a snow storm to personally check on his patients. Truly remarkable was his compassion and dedication to service.”

“He was a true Rotarian and lived to serve others by volunteering his surgical skills all over the world including Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua and most recently Haiti, where he served with Doctors Without Borders to aid the victims of the earthquake there. A true humanitarian, upon return, he spoke about his experience to civic and Rotary clubs in the area, as well as Senior Circle, Pottstown Memorial’s own senior affinity group, of which he was a proud member.”

“He proudly showed off his hip replacements and rode 4, 000 miles raising money for various charities. Near his 50th wedding anniversary, along with his family, friends and his bride Peggy, rode 50 kilometers on the Schuylkill River Trail. And on his 70th birthday, he proudly rode 70 kilometers.”

“We will miss his wisdom as Board Chair and his humble dedication to serving PMMC and so many lives around the world. We will always remember Dr. Richard P. Whittaker fondly and celebrate the life of this extraordinary man.”