In Loving Memory of Dr Anthony Doss

In Loving Memory of Dr Anthony Doss

By Nihal D Amerasekera

Dr Anthony Jayasingh Doss was born on June 10, 1940, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and passed away peacefully on December 10, 2023, at the age of 83, at Deer Meadows Nursing Home in Abingdon, Virginia.

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. 

From Sig Book- 1962

Anthony Doss has been an elusive figure since our great dispersal in 1967.  I remember the lithe figure of “Doss”, as we called him then. He was more towards my end of the alphabet. We shared some ward classes and also a few clinical appointments together.  But he never shared in the mischief and rascality that was ever present in those effervescent faculty years, like at the University dances, Law Medical and the memorable Final-year trip. Doss was a refined, calm and sensible person who enjoyed the company of his many pals in the faculty. He was ever present in the Men’s Common Room joining in the chit chat. He breezed through the difficult examinations with consummate ease.

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.