Arthur James VanDerburgh

DATELINE: Portland

6/4/31-7/5/21

Dr. Arthur VanDerburgh D.O. of Portland, Maine died at Avita of Stroudwater in Westbrook, Maine on July 5th, 2021 from complications from vascular dementia. He was born June 4th, 1931 in Plattsburgh, NY, the son of Harold T. & Dorothy M. VanDerburgh. He graduated from Middlebury, High School in Middlebury,VT in 1949. He briefly attended Defiance College before entering the U.S. Army during the Korean War, serving in Korea for 18 months as an army medic.

After his discharge, he married the love of his life Judith J. Slocum, BSN of Middlebury, VT, before returning to Springfield College in Massachusetts where he graduated in pre-med. He then attended Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in 1960. He obtained a rotating internship and practiced family medicine briefly in Beaver Dam, WI and Bennington, VT then for five and a half years in Bangor, ME. While in Bangor, he was medical director of the James A. Taylor Osteopathic Hospital and health officer for the city of Brewer. In September of 1966, Dr. VanDerburgh was commissioned as Medical Officer in the United States Naval Reserve with the rank of Lt. Commander, the first DO to be commissioned by the armed forces in New England. This was a position he served with great pride for 7 years.

In July of 1969, Dr. VanDerburgh started a residency in Pathology at Detroit Osteopathic Hospital. He was a practicing Pathologist at Doctors Hospital in Massilon, OH for two and a half years before coming to Portland, ME, where he practiced for over 20 years as chairman of the pathology department at the former Osteopathic Hospital of Maine, subsequently known as Brighton Medical Center. While there he served as Director of Medical Education, served on many committees, and was a member of the Board of Trustee's for 6 years.

Dr. VanDerburgh served in various capacities during the early formative years of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He was among a group of several physicians and administrative staff of the college who developed and help implement the curriculum of the college of Osteopathic Medicine. He developed the pathology curriculum and taught from 1978-2011. He considered his participation at the College of Osteopathic Medicine one of his proudest achievements. In 2019 he was given the honor of Professor Emeritus at UNECOM.

Dr. VanDerburgh served as a member of the Maine Board of Registrations of Osteopathic Medicine from 1979 - 1993 having been Chair for two years. He became a member of the Maine Osteopathic Association in 1964 and served as President of the MOA in 1981. In 1985 he received the Roswell P. Bates Public Service Award. In 2014 he was honored with the award for 50 years of service to his profession in the Maine Osteopathic Association and in 1990 and again in 2019 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to the Osteopathic Profession and Society.

Dr. VanDerburgh was certified in Anatomic Pathology and Laboratory Medicine by the American Board of Osteopathic Pathologists. He was a fellow of the College of American Pathologists, a member of the American Society of Clinical Pathology, the American Society of Cytology, the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of Osteopathic Pathologists, and the state Osteopathic Associations of Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Vermont & Maine.

Dr. VanDerburgh and his wife Judith were active in many functions of Clark Memorial United Methodist Church in Portland and in the Maine Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. They were also active for many years in the Conference Camping Program at Camp Mechuwana where they served on the Division of Camping and Outdoor Ministries and were very committed to Youth Ministries as well. Once a summer in the early 1980’s, they deaned a week of camp in the Maine woods of Mechuwana for high school students, where Arthur was known for his reading of Yertle the Turtle. Arthur and Judy also sang in the choir at Clark Memorial UMC and in the choir at State Street United Church of Christ, where they later became members and equally as involved. Dr. VanDerburgh was also a former barber shop chorus member and served several community functions including Meals on Wheels. He was a golfing member of Purpoodock Country Club for nearly 40 years and served on its board of governors in 1987. Fortunately, golf was his passion for his game was abysmal.

Arthur was predeceased by his parents, his one sister, Pam Dumas of Burlington VT and his beloved wife Judith of 64 years, who passed away August 5, 2018.

With all his achievements, Arthur considered his family his proudest contribution to his life on earth. He and his beloved wife Judy were married June 20th, 1954 and were best friends and soulmates. They leave behind their six children: Julia Anne and her husband Pete Bell of Dallas, TX, Charles Arthur of Portland, Kristen Joanne and her husband Mark Tuk of Pittsburgh, PA, Michael Stewart of Leominster, MA, Thomas Frederick and his wife Cheryl of Buxton and Jane Elizabeth and her partner David Marchand of Biddeford. They also leave 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren with another expected in December.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours from 4-7pm on Thursday July 15, 2021 at Jones, Rich and Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St, Portland. A Celebration of Life for Arthur will be held Saturday July 17, 2021 at 11am at State Street UCC, Portland. Services can be viewed Live Stream by visiting the jonesrichbarnes Facebook page. Arthur and his wife Judy will be interred at a later date in the family gravesite in Middlebury Cemetery, Middlebury, VT with other members of the family of Dr. and Mrs. Howard Slocum DO. For further information, and to send a tribute in Arthur’s memory you may visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Camp Mechuwana P.O. Box 277, Winthrop, ME 04364 or the Maine Osteopathic Educational Foundation, Maine Osteopathic Association P.O. Box 315, Manchester, ME 04351

The family wishes to extend their extreme gratitude and appreciation to the Staff of Avita of Stroudwater and specifically the Summer Neighborhood. The level of care, concern and love Arthur received was outstanding and exceeded our expectations.