Howard “Tom” Pierce Sawyer Jr. ’45

Howard “Tom” Pierce Sawyer Jr. ’45 died September 15, 2010, in Venice, Florida, his home for the last 25 years. He was born and raised in Fall River, Massachusetts, attended Exeter Academy and Dartmouth, received his M.D. from Temple University and completed residency in anesthesia at Mary Hitchcock Hospital in 1950. His more than 30-year record in the Army began in 1944 and included two tours in the Korean conflict, during which he helped establish the 8063rd Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit. From 1954 to 1956 he practiced at the Veteran’s Administration medical Center in White River Junction, Vermont. In the reserves he rose to the rank of colonel and was commander of the reserve hospital unit in Lewiston, Maine, at the time of his retirement in 1982. From 1956 to 1982 he practiced at Maine Medical Center, where he co-founded the anesthesia department. Active in the New England Society of Anesthesiologists, he was program director for 10 years. One of his lifelong hobbies was the study of genealogy, which revealed a vibrant ancestry including several Mayflower pilgrims. He is survived by his wife, Alice, former wife, Anne, and their seven surviving children. He was a man of vigor, honor and compassion, dedicated to serving his country and advancing the practice of medicine.