On December 14, 2009, the field of orthopaedics lost a great friend, colleague, and mentor. Dr. Guy Vise died at his home in Jackson, MS. Dr. Vise practiced orthopaedic surgery for more than 40 years.
Fig. 1.
Dr. Guy Thompson Vise Jr, MD. (Photograph published with courtesy of Margaret Vise.)
Fig. 2.
Guy and his wife Margaret are shown in this photograph taken during the 2009 annual ABJS meeting in Maui. (Photograph published with courtesy of Danny Wongworawat.)
Fig. 3.
Guy and Campbell Shea Vise, one of his five grandsons. The photograph was taken on a boat off the coast of Tierra del Fuego, near Ushuaia, Argentina, on a post-meeting tour after the 2006 ABJS annual meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photograph published with courtesy of Richard Brand.)
He was born in Meridian, MS, and was the oldest of five siblings. His father, Dr. Guy Thompson Vise Sr. was a general surgeon in Meridian. In addition to Guy Jr, two of his brothers became physicians—one a neurosurgeon and one a urologist. Guy Jr wanted to be a surgeon at a very young age and frequently would accompany his father on rounds.
Guy excelled in school and graduated from Meridian High School in 1957 with highest honors. He also was an Eagle Scout and earned the scouting God and Country Award. In addition, he was editor for his school newspaper, a member of the key club, a 4-year letterman on the basketball, tennis, and track teams, and a cheerleader. He was Master Councilor of the Order of DeMolay, a boy’s service club sponsored by the Shriners.
Guy graduated from Harvard University in 1961 with a bachelor of arts. He excelled at Harvard, becoming a member of Crimson Key Society, 1636 Society, and Hasty Pudding Society, and was president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. After graduating from Harvard, he returned to the south and received a Doctor of Medicine degree from Tulane University in New Orleans in 1965. He did his internship at Charity Hospital, New Orleans, followed by an orthopaedic residency at Tulane University and was chosen chief resident of orthopaedic surgery on the Tulane service at Charity Hospital.
After his residency, he was a recipient of the American Orthopaedic Association North American Traveling Fellowship. During his fellowship and training, he spent time at the Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children in Decatur, GA, and Rancho Los Amigos Spinal Cord and Rehabilitation Center in Downey, CA, where he learned much about orthopaedic rehabilitation and stroke, brain injury, and amputee and fracture treatment.
He received numerous awards, including the Richards Orthopaedic Traveling Fellowship Award from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Gold Medal Scientific Exhibit American Congress of Rehabilitative Medicine, Silver and Bronze Awards presented by the British-American Association Film Corporation in Spinal Cord Injuries, and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He was the recipient of the Challenge Award, given for a Lifetime of Dedicated Public Service to Disabled Citizens of Mississippi, presented by the Brain Injury Association of Mississippi.
Guy was very much involved in research involving hips and knees and was a clinical investigator of total hip and total knee replacements. He was an author of numerous scientific articles, exhibits, and presentations. He was very involved in patient care and set up satellite clinics in the rural towns of Belzoni, Cleveland, and Yazoo City, MS, where he saw patients monthly for many years. He authored Arthritis Learning Notebook, a guide for his patients with arthritis who live throughout Mississippi and surrounding states.
In 1962, he married Margaret Sturdivant Wilbourn, of Meridian, MS. Guy moved his family back to Jackson, MS, in 1971 after completing his training. The couple has two sons, Guy Thompson Vise III and James Wilbourn (Will) Vise and five grandsons.
Guy was instrumental in building and planning the Mississippi Methodist Rehabilitation Center, where he served as Medical Director and CEO for 17 years. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Physical Therapy School of Allied Health Professionals, Chairman of Joint Implant and Surgery Research Foundation, Assistant Clinical Professor of Orthopaedics, and Teaching Assistant and Head of Residential Clinical Rotations at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He also was very active in the Journal Club and did frequent rehabilitation consultations.
Guy was involved in his community and church, being a member of the Deacons at the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, and he worked for several years in the Evangelism Explosion program as an instructor. He was president of the singles and doubles Sunday School Class. Guy also served on the Mississippi Symphony Board for several years and became Chairman of the most recent Strategic Planning Committee. He loved history and was a member of The Jackson Civil War Round Table of Mississippi.
One of Guy’s true loves was the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons (ABJS). He and his wife, Margaret, would never miss a meeting. He was host for two of the meetings, one on the steamboat Mississippi Queen from Memphis to New Orleans and the second for a river barge trip through the Bayou Country in Louisiana. He became President of the ABJS in 1995. He had excellent business acumen and was instrumental in the financial guidance of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (CORR). He was also Chairman of the Board of Trustees for CORR and senior member-at-large from 2002 until his death. Guy’s vision was crucial for guiding CORR at a crucial stage and for ensuring its continuing success.
Guy was involved with multiple other associations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Orthopaedic Association. He was Past President of Southern Medical Association and founder and Past President of Southern Orthopaedic Association. He was a member of Tulane Medical Alumni Association, Tulane Dean’s Council, and Society of Arthritic Joint Surgeons. He served on the Board of Trustees, the Executive Committee, and the Alfred R. Shands, Jr. Circle Committee of the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation.
Many would not know that Guy had an interest in tree farming. As a young boy, he and his brothers would work on their father’s family tree farms, reforesting by hand. He had a keen interest in the new process of cloning pine trees and was among the first to plant the cloned trees that would grow at a rate of approximately 30% to 40% faster than others. After his death one of his foresters wrote, “I had the honor and pleasure of knowing ‘Doc’ for many years and must say I could not have known a better man. He was our ‘gentle giant’ of a client and one who always cared for the land, making sure it was as productive as it could be. His appetite to learn new and innovative ways of forest management was voracious—perhaps more so than many foresters I know.” He, his wife, and sons were involved in the tree farming business in Mississippi and Tennessee.
Guy also was a polo player, patron, and member of the US Polo Association for many years, an accomplished fly fisherman, and hunter of duck, deer, and pheasant. He was an avid reader, and traveled extensively with the medical associations, his wife, children, and grandchildren—always learning and always teaching.
Guy was a wonderful father, friend, colleague, and researcher. He was a joy to be with as he made people feel good about themselves. Guy Thompson Vise Jr, MD will be missed profoundly.