Doctor's life of public service commemorated
VICTOR IZZO/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS Family members of Dr Gaudencio S. Dizon, M.D. who attended the dedication ceremony for the memorial tree planted in his memory on the grounds of the Gnaden Huetten Memorial Hospital in Lehighton where he practiced for over 30 years are, from left to right : Mr. Mariano Buenaventura, brother-in-law; Dr. Milagros Nunag, sister; his wife Mrs. Visitacion Dizon; Dr. Imelda Buenaventura, sister; Mrs. Zenaida Abbariao, sister-in-law; and son Dr. Michael G. Dizon.
The story of Dr. Gaudencio S. Dizon, M.D., who passed away on April 7, 2009, was one of both family life and public service to the community.
He was remembered recently by family and friends with the planting of a memorial tree on the grounds of the Gnaden Huetten Memorial Hospital in Lehighton where he practiced for more than 30 years in addition to his family medical practice.
This tribute to Dr. Dizon came about through the efforts of hospital staff members Dr. Kho Yih; Mrs. Donna Donati, R.N.; and Ms. Cheryl Schoch.
The memorial tree was blessed and dedicated in his memory during a service which was attended by family members, friends, and associates.
Following the dedication, all present were invited to join together at a nearby restaurant to dine and share many fond and sometimes humorous memories of Dr. Dizon.
A common theme to theses memories was the doctor's friendly, personal, and down-to-earth personality which he shared with his many long time patients.
He truly lived up to the phrase "with him you are not just a number" as he was both physician and sincere friend to the many people he served.
Gaudencio was the devoted husband of Chita Pattugalan Dizon for 46 years and proud father of three sons: Kenneth, Joseph, and Michael.
His legacy lives on in his three sons who followed suit by his influences and became physicians.
For more than 35 years, he operated a private practice in Jim Thorpe and was a staff member of the Gnaden Huetten Memorial and Palmerton hospitals.
Dr. Dizon was born in the Philippines but considered the communities of Carbon County his home.
He loved serving the thousands of its citizens in the patients he cared for, and the family interactions he grew to know in his medical practice, and working in the hospital.
He was simultaneously dedicated to his livelihood of being a family doctor and being a family man.
He grew akin to the hard working values of the communities he served and respected here, and found similarities between the cultural exchange from his humble background of the Philippines to the European immigrant cultures of coal miners, farmers, and steel workers of this area.
Dr. Dizon was committed to education and the medical professions and mentored many of his patients and their families to pursue careers in medicine and nursing.
He was mentored and taught by world renowned surgeons and doctors from the city of Chicago and incorporated what he learned to his general practice when he first started in Pottsville Good Samaritan Hospital and Hazleton General Hospital.
As the practice of medicine and health care had changed and became more specialized during his latter years of practice, he learned to adapt and change with it; however, never abandoning traditional virtues and preserving strong doctor-patient relationship, care, and trust in the delivery of primary care.
In retirement, he enjoyed travelling with his wife Chita, playing golf, and spending time with friends and family.
He was devoted to philanthropy work by forming The Foundation of Disaster & Medical Mission and helping to rebuild a new church in the Parish of Santo Domingo in the Philippines.
