IN REMEMBRANCE : Gary Fox , MD 9 / 24 / 1935-4 / 08 / 2024
Gary Fox , MD , was a lifelong Louisvillian , graduating from the University of Louisville in 1956 and from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1961 . After serving in the U . S . Air Force from 1962- 1964 , he began practicing neurology and served the Louisville community ( and others ) with his knowledge and skill for almost 60 years .
Throughout his career , Gary held a variety of teaching and leadership roles including acting as the neurological consultant for the Humana Heart Institute Total Artificial Heart Program where he provided neurological expertise and support for patients undergoing a groundbreaking surgery – the Jarvik-7 artificial heart .
Gary was the consummate consultant – he was always willing to add another patient on to his busy schedule or see another hospital consult . When I joined him in his practice , he told me that the most important things to be were “ affable and available .” He noted that being knowledgeable was “ a given ” but my business success would depend on being available to patients and referral sources . Gary ’ s work ethic was second to none . He was up early and worked late , as long as it took to make sure all patients who needed to be seen were taken care of . He did not retire until 2022 but continued to work part-time after that . I was fortunate to have Gary as a mentor as I started my career and later as a partner . Gary taught me how to run a practice and how to take good care of patients .
Gary was also ahead of his time as a medical entrepreneur . One of his ventures included an MRI imaging center . At the time it was not as typical for a physician to own an additional ancillary business , but Gary had outpaced many of us in this respect .
One of my favorite memories of Gary is his dedicated participation in the annual lighting the Fox Family Chanukah Menorah . This tradition honors Hilda “ Hindy ” Fox , a nurse leader at Jewish Hospital who passed away in 1956 , at the age of 42 , on the fourth night of Chanukah . Gary was at UofL Health , Medical Center East lighting this special menorah this past December , still carrying out the tradition in its 66 th year .
I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Gary for many years – he gave me my first job out of residency and taught me how to think about the business of medicine . I join his family , his colleagues and the thousands of patients he treated over the years in knowing that his memory will truly be a blessing .
-Lynn T . Simon , MD , MBA
Dr . Fox was a GLMS member for 59 years .
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