In Loving Memory of Dr Anthony Doss
By Nihal D Amerasekera
A dedicated physician and community psychiatrist, Dr Doss
devoted decades of his life to serving the people of Southwest Virginia. His
career was defined by compassion, commitment, and a deep belief in providing
quality medical and psychiatric care to communities where it was needed most.
Dr Doss earned his medical degree from the University of
Ceylon in 1967. He later travelled to the United States to pursue his
psychiatric residency at Mary Immaculate Hospital in Queens, New York. During
his residency, he met his first wife, Mary, beginning the first chapter of the
Doss family's life in America.
Following his residency, Dr Doss initially served as an
attending physician in Hazard, Kentucky. As he explored the surrounding region,
he was drawn to Southwest Virginia and ultimately chose to settle in Marion,
where his commitment to community medicine took root.
He established a medical practice in Chilhowie, Virginia,
providing much-needed medical and psychiatric services to a rural community
with limited access to local physicians. His dedication to his patients and his
willingness to serve wherever he was needed made him a valued member of the
community. Over the years, his practice expanded to Bristol, Virginia, where he
continued caring for generations of patients and families.
Dr Doss and Mary were blessed with three children: daughter
Princy and twin sons Manoj and Vinodh. His youngest son, Danny, was born during
the family's time in Bristol. Dr Doss lived in both Marion and Bristol during
his years in Southwest Virginia, building not only a medical practice but also
a life deeply rooted in family and community.
After retiring from medicine, Dr Doss enjoyed spending time
with his family, including visits to Canada, and devoted more time to one of
his enduring passions—writing. In his later years, he found renewed happiness
and companionship after marrying Lucita Chapman.
Dr Doss is survived by his children, Princy Doss (Scott Fullen), Dr Vinodh Doss (Taryn Doss), Dr Manoj Doss (Andrea Doss), and Danny Doss (Eve Burnett); his cherished grandchildren, Vinoj Fullen, Ravit Doss, and Vedha Doss; and his stepson, Chad Chapman. He is also survived by his brother, Dr Arulraj Doss of Montreal, Canada.
Throughout his life, Dr Doss was guided by compassion,
service, intellectual curiosity, and an abiding love for his family. His legacy
lives on not only through the many patients whose lives he touched, but also
through his children, grandchildren, family, friends, and the communities he
served.
Dr Anthony Doss will be remembered with love and gratitude as a devoted physician, a caring father and grandfather, a brother and husband, and a man who dedicated his life to helping others. His life was a testament to compassion, dedication, and the enduring power of family.
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| From Sig Book- 1962 |
When I was MO/OPD in Kurunegala, through my foolhardiness, I
functioned as AJMO and got involved in some court cases. Some of these
appearances were at the Magistrates Courts in Puttalam. On one of those visits
to Puttalam, I was told that Doss was a GP there, but I could not find or
contact him. Doss disappeared completely from our batch radar until we had all
become octogenarians. Our many attempts to find him drew a blank.
I was elated to find information about Doss. The news that
he has now passed on brought me great sadness, as he was a good friend and a
respected colleague for 5 years in the faculty. I will always remember his calm
and friendly demeanour. Doss embodied the Japanese proverb "see no evil,
hear no evil, speak no evil.
Some go silently into the night –
walk through the park of our humanity
with breath that parts no air -
steps that bend no grass -
disturbing nothing as they pass. ---- Anonymous
May his Soul Rest in Peace.
