Blair Filler

On April 29, 2023, Blair Filler passed away at age 95 surrounded by his four children in his home in Rolling Hills. Married to Dodie for 67 years, he was the beloved patriarch of his family, including his four children, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Blair was born in Salem, Ohio, and served in the Navy before attending the University of Michigan where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English. In organic chemistry class, he met Doris (Dodie) Gardner, the love of his life, whom he married in 1954. He attended the University of Michigan School of Medicine and completed his orthopaedic residency in Boston. In 1961, Blair and Dodie moved to Southern California where they built their lives and raised their children.

Specializing in hand surgery, Blair had a long and distinguished career as an orthopaedic surgeon, retiring at age 86. He was deeply committed to his patients, whom he treated with kindness, dignity, and compassion. As a clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery at USC and later UCLA, Blair served as the director of medical education at the Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital for over two decades. For several years, he was the orthopaedic surgery program director at the Martin Luther King Jr. Medical Center. His goal was to provide quality orthopaedic care to underserved communities and to advocate for greater diversity in the field. His devotion to his patients, students, and profession was exemplary and inspiring. In 2009, his service was recognized by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons when he received the Tipton Award for Outstanding Orthopaedic Leadership. In his later years, he was instrumental in establishing the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding system for orthopaedics that has significantly impacted the practice of orthopaedic surgery and endures to this day. He also served as a volunteer deputy sheriff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Unit.

Blair and Dodie were avid travelers and explored 93 countries and seven continents. They enjoyed hiking, climbing, skiing, scuba diving, and biking. They backpacked throughout the Sierras and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in their 70’s. At age 40, Blair began long distance running and ran over 50 marathons, including completing the Boston Marathon twice. He and Dodie were private pilots who flew their Piper Cherokee Six throughout the continental US and to Mexico, Canada, Alaska, and even within Australia. Blair was an enthusiastic skier, making many trips to Mammoth Mountain and exploring other ski resorts in the US and Europe. He and Dodie also enjoyed helicopter skiing in the Canadian Rockies, where they each skied more that 1 million vertical feet.

Never one to act his age, Blair followed the philosophy that one should continue to learn, embrace new challenges, and lead a purposeful life. He knew how to have fun and loved to entertain, sing, dance, and play the banjo. Devoted husband, dedicated family man, compassionate orthopaedist, loyal friend, intellectual, pilot, musician, athlete, and ultimate host – Blair lived a full and extraordinary life. His steadfast commitment to his patients and profession, love and kindness to his family and friends, and unwavering pursuit of excellence in all his endeavors are an inspiration to all. He will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF).