Dr. John J. White Jr.

John J. White, Jr., M.D. of South Chatham, MA, and formerly of Princeton, NJ, passed away on January 17, 2012, after a serious struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. From the early 1940’s, Jack vacationed on Cape Cod with family, and settled in South Chatham permanently after his retirement from medical practice 2001.

Jack was born in Paterson, NJ, and grew up in Glen Rock. At Ridgewood High School, he was valedictorian of his class. After he was graduated from Yale University and Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, he completed his internship and a four year residency in general surgery at St. Luke’s Hospital Center in New York City and became board certified.

Jack served as a major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps at Fort Bragg, NC, for two years during the Vietnam War. After that, he had a private surgery practice in New York City and was a member of the Columbia University Faculty.

On the staff of the Medical Center at Princeton from 1971-2001, Dr. White was instrumental in developing the medical student education program there. As clinical assistant professor of surgery at Rutgers Medical School (now UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School), Dr. White directed the program for thirteen years. He derived great pleasure from teaching and was a role model for his students. He headed the Princeton Surgical Center’s Advisory Committee during all of its formative years.

Especially knowledgeable in the realms of equipment and technique, Dr. White brought surgical endoscopy to Princeton and was the first surgeon to perform colonoscopy there. He later performed the first laparoscopic procedure (gall bladder removal) there.

When Jack retired from Princeton Surgical Associates, a partner described him as “naturally humble as well as supremely gifted. He was wonderful to have on board in the operating room when it was necessary to perform a complex or difficult operation.”

Jack and his wife, Noel, loved life on Cape Cod -- sailing, tennis, walking, biking, beaching, birding -- and for several years were active in the Eastham Hiking Club. After retiring to the Cape, he had plenty of time to enjoy his many hobbies: creating museum-quality Nantucket baskets, building five-star bird hotels, and crafting mirrors and frames for his needlepoint projects. He loved “messing about” in his boats and tending to his antique cars. His wit, wisdom, kindness and compassion affected many lives.

Jack is survived by his wife of 52 years, Noel; three daughters, Catherine Mertz of Needham, MA, Wendy Brockelman of Princeton, MA, and Elizabeth Meahl of Portland, ME; three sons-in-law, Oscar Mertz, Peter Brockelman, and Pierre Meahl; five grandchildren, Noah Mertz, Myles and Pieper Brockelman, and Jack and Sumner Meahl; and his sister Margery White Loftus. He was predeceased by a grandson, Dempsey John Brockelman.

A Funeral Mass will be held at Holy Redeemer Church in Chatham, MA on Saturday, January 21 at 11:00 a.m

The family would like to extend gratitude and thanks to Liberty Commons at Broad Reach of North Chatham where Dr. White resided in his last months, and was treated with exceptional care and dignity.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington DC 20090, or Broad Reach Healthcare, 390 Orleans Road, North Chatham, MA 02650.