Dr. Jackson L Thatcher MD

Dr. Jackson Lee Thatcher [Jan 31, 1924 –Jan 7, 2020] was born in West Monroe, Louisiana to Fred and Thelma Thatcher. During the hard years of the Depression in Louisiana he carried 2 paper routes and worked hard in school becoming Valedictorian of both his grade and high school. He then won a National Scholarship to Harvard University in 1940 where he began college at age 16. With the start of WWII, he completed his accelerated Degree in Chemistry in 1943 [officially class of 1944] and entered the US Navy. After completing his military service in 1946, Dr. Thatcher attended The University of Louisiana College of Medicine graduating in 1951, first in his class with the highest GPA in the school’s history. During his Internship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit Michigan, he met his future bride of 66 years, Norma Rampon RN. They returned to New Orleans, Louisiana, where after marrying in August 1953, he completed his Fellowship in Pathology in 1956. As he became a Diplomate of the American Board of Pathology in that same year, the growing Thatcher Family moved to West Palm Beach, FL, where he began a 35 year career in medicine. Dr. Thatcher was a Founding Member and President of Palm Beach Pathology, and a member of the Good Samaritan Hospital Department of Pathology. He served as Chief of Staff of St. Mary’s Hospital and was Chief of Pathology there from 1958 until his retirement in 1991.

Dr. Thatcher was keenly interested in epidemiology and hospital acquired infection, and a very early adopter of extra hand care measures to reduce the spread of germs between hospitalized patients and staff alike. An avid gardener, he combined exotics with local flora transforming his gardens into a tropical paradise.

He is survived by his wife, Norma, daughters Lauren Fischesser RN [Mr. James Buckner PE, SECB] of Jupiter, Anne Thatcher Parrish [Mr. Charles Parrish, esq.] of San Antonio, and son Dr. Jackson Lee Thatcher MD [Ms. Carolyn Pratt] Minneapolis, 7-grandchildren Brian [Tanya], both former USMC, and Daniel Fischesser, Cecile and Charles Gray Parrish, US ARMY CW3 Jackson Robert Thatcher [Jamie], Jordan Pratt-Thatcher [fiancée, Ms. Jenny Savage] and Joshua Pratt-Thatcher, along with 5-great grandchildren: Bolton, Hayden, and Romily Fischesser, and Savannah and Madison Thatcher.

A memorial service will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in North Palm Beach on Saturday the 18th of January at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Lost Tree Charitable Foundation would be greatly appreciated. Lost Tree Charitable Foundation 8 S. Church LN, North Palm Beach