Dr. Andrea Marie Scalise Scalise-Gordy

Dr. Andrea Marie Scalise-Gordy, aged 54, died Wednesday, 3 November 2010 after a long battle with breast cancer at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Center. She was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. on 6 July 1956 to Frank Natale Scalise and Dora Belle Muhlberger.

Andrea grew up in Erie Pa. and attended Villa Maria Academy for High School then Gannon University in Erie for her undergraduate degree and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine where she earned her medical degree in 1981. She also earned a Masters degree in Lay Ministry from Loyola University of New Orleans in 2007. She served in the U.S. Navy as a LtCmdr. and an Ophtholomologist at Camp Lejeune, NC and Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Porstmouth, VA. She also served during Operation Desert Storm with Fleet Hospital 5 in Al Jubial, Saudi Arabia. Upon leaving the Navy she trained at Duke University as a Pediatric and Neuro-Ophthalmologist practicing in Newport News, Va. Albany, NY and Brick & Freemantle, NJ until finally moving to Winston Salem to practice medicine in 1998. She took great pleasure in taking care of her patients at The Center for Sight on University Pkwy. and her patients also took care of her. Allowing her the ability to take her mind off of her own pain and suffering over the last 8 years and to focus on her patients needs was a large part of how she managed to fight her disease for so long and she was extremely grateful for that. She was also grateful for the loving care provided to her from Dr. Thomas Grote and staff at Piedmont Hematology Oncology because with their help she was allowed to care for so many people over the past 8 years allowing her to live her life to the fullest. Thanks also go out to the nurses and staff of the 9th floor at Forsyth Medical Center and of Hospice staff who have provided her with the needed love and care .

She is survived by the luckiest guy in the world, her husband of 22 years William M. Gordy, her son Michael W. Gordy, and daughter Lillian R. Gordy. Her father Frank N. Scalise of Erie, Pa., Her Brothers Michael Scalise of Buffalo, NY and Mark Scalise of Fayetteville, Ark. Finally her sister Diana Senan of Pittsburgh, Pa.

She was predeceased by her mother Dora Muhlberger.

The family will receive visitors at Vogler & Sons Funeral Home at 2951 Reynolda Rd. from 5-8 pm on Sunday 7 November 2010. The Funeral Mass will be at Good Shepherd Catholic Church off Kirby Rd. in King, at 11:00 am on Monday 8 November.

Lastly she would like to leave you with the prayer that she wrote and said daily each morning throughout her years of practice as an Ophthalmologist:

O Holy Spirit descend on me and be with me today. Grant me the gift of healing that I may help my patients both spiritually and physically. Guide my hands in any surgery I may do today. Help me find words of counsel and consolation. Help me relate through love with my family, friends, co-workers, and patients.

I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Online condolances may be made to frankvoglerandsons.com