Our family is so saddened to hear of your passing.   As your office manager, and  family friend, we have worked together for so many years, together with our nurse practitioners.   He was so proud of you all!   Thank you for always being there for us.  we will miss you dearly.

Dear Dr. Spears, Receiving the call informing me of your untimely passing was both shocking & sorrowful. I had just texted with you a few days prior. You were one of the "Bigger than Life" persons- You were our anchor; the consistent, committed, caring, strong unfailing voice we heard for so many years on our Monday calls- always with the goal of delivering the best patient care possible; sharing life's happenings & supporting us in every way that would be helpful.. I so appreciated all the years of wonderful collegiality that we- our small group of Nurse Practitioners & you; shared. There is a lost & empty void without you there. You will be missed not only by your colleagues, but by your patients and their caregivers, for whom you had the utmost respect. They were so fortunate to have a physician who truly cared about the often forgotten population of the homebound elderly.. I thank you for the many lessons I have learned from you over the years. You were supportive & inspirational from the beginning & I will carry those gifts with me for the rest of my days..
My condolences to your dear family.

Dear Dr Spears, 
Words cannot express how saddened I am about your passing and how  deeply I miss hearing the sound of your strong and emphatic voice, which commanded attention and conveyed a sense of authority and confidence. Yet your voice was a reflection of your dedication to your pts and your unwavering commitment to advocating for their needs. 
Your work with us as nurse practitioners was a testament to your commitment to collaboration and your belief in each member of the health team. You valued our work and did not hesitate to make it known  to all. You were always available to support and give your opinion whether we wanted it or not. 
I remember your odd sense of humor, which was quirky and always left us smiling. Your humor was a reflection of your ability to find joy in life's little moments and it was one of the many ways in which you touched the lives of those around you. 
Your patients were fortunate to have had you as their physician. 
Your loss is felt deeply by the entire homecare community and your legacy will continue to inspire and influence us for years to come. 

My heartfelt  condolences to your family. 
Claudette 

I was always struck by Dr. Spears voice. I always felt like he should have been a radio or television broadcaster. He had a very distinctive voice. I had many interactions with Dr. Spears over the years reaching out to him regarding patient care. I appreciated his no non-sense approach, and his sincere desire to be very involved in his patients care. He was truly one of a kind! He was open to suggestions from the RN perspective and truly valued the work of the nurses he interacted with at VNSHS. He was very smart, and I recall many in depth conversations that we had around many subjects, and him sending me articles about one thing after another. I appreciated that. Dr. Spears was compassionate, kind, and dedicated, both as a doctor, a father, and a friend. He will be missed by all. 

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Visiting Nurse Service and Hospice of Suffolk, I would like to express our profound sorrow on the passing of Dr. Brent Spears. He was recently elected to our Board and all were anticipating his first meeting and the great potential that his participation carried with it. His excellent reputation as a house call physician was only exceeded by the depth of his knowledge in all things medical, public health, and life in general. As a fellow House Call physician, I am personally indebted to Brent for having mentored and encouraged me when I started my practice in 2005. With the Visiting Nurse Service, he established an MD-Nurse Practitioner Program, helping to greatly expand the reach of medical care in the homes of the elderly and disabled in Suffolk County, Long Island. Brent was truly a pioneer in so many ways, with a career encompassing Academic Community Medicine (while at the Stony Brook University School of Medicine), Public Health (for Suffolk County, Long Island), Military Medicine (at the Plattsburg Air Force Base), Hospice and Palliative Care (as director of the Hospice Inn), and as one of the first House Call physicians to establish a practice in Long Island.
His House Call Practice business card read “a physician who listens”. He exemplified this in his life and his medical practice, providing an inspirational model to all of his colleagues. While Brent will be missed by all who knew him, his legacy will endure in the hearts and minds of the many patients and caregivers who were the fortunate recipients of his skillful and compassionate care. 

Dr.Patricia Matos-Puente MD
Chairperson, Board of Trustees
The Visiting Nurse Service and Hospice of Suffolk



OBITUARY

Dr. Brent W. Spears

March 28, 1942 – April 5, 2023

O.B. Davis Funeral Homes - Miller Place

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