Dr. Henry "Terry" Howard Whitehouse III

Terry was born in Cincinnati, OH on August 15th, 1949, to the late Margaret Rice Lowman and Henry Howard Whitehouse. He grew up in Terrace Park, OH, where he was an athlete, Eagle Scout, band member, and accomplished student. He graduated from Brown University with a degree in biology in 1972 and from medical school at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX in 1976. He completed his Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency at UTMB before serving as medical faculty. He married his wife Susan Emens at Grace Episcopal Church in Galveston in 1980, and together they moved to Victoria in 1982. That year he joined the Victoria Women's Clinic, where he worked for 33 years, apart from one year spent in Atlanta, GA, where he completed a fellowship in advanced gynecological surgery at Emory University in 1992. He served in various leadership positions in the Victoria medical community and represented the Victoria-Goliad-Jackson County Medical Society as a regional delegate to the Texas Medical Association for many years. After diagnosis and treatment of an ocular melanoma, he launched his second career and became credentialed as a Hospice and Palliative Care physician. He worked on behalf of Hospice of South Texas until this year and was instrumental in the development of the Dornberg Inpatient Hospice Facility in Victoria. As a physician, he touched the lives of innumerable patients and their families in the Victoria area and was celebrated for his kindness, patience, work ethic, knowledge, and surgical expertise.

He was involved in various activities and communities in Victoria and made friends calf roping, participating in 4-H alongside his daughter, ranching, running, cycling, and in spiritual study through Education for Ministry. In his spare time working as a physician, he managed to complete an accounting degree during night school at the University of Houston Victoria, allegedly for fun. He was an avid reader known for his dry wit and his thoughtful counsel and generosity to friends and family. Terry loved his family deeply. He was always there for them with a listening ear to advise, encourage, and support. He loved moving through the outdoors and said he felt closest to God while on horseback, though in later life he was more likely to be spotted on a road bike riding around the county. In 2018 Terry achieved a long time dream to ride across the country. He joined a bike touring group and made some dear friends riding from Los Angeles to Boston. He encouraged and welcomed his family to join him in all of his pursuits and particularly enjoyed family vacations together. He considered himself a blessed man and had few regrets. He is survived by his loving wife, Susan, his children, Jonathan and Katie, sisters Lyn Petty (Gary), and Susie Hayes (David), several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Terry had known for about 18 months that he had a condition called cardiac amyloidosis. It’s not so rare, but it is under-diagnosed because the symptoms seem oddly unrelated. Several could easily be attributed to aging. He first noted an inexplicable decline in his fitness level. More recently he was experiencing increasing fatigue and shortness of breath. Terry dealt with this the same way he did other endeavors in his life. He exhaustively researched amyloidosis, consulted with experts and was determined to continue his fitness program as best he could. He was enrolled in a double blind drug study in Houston in an effort to find another treatment for his type of cardiac amyloidosis and assist medical science. He and Susan were visiting their son in NY and seeing a cardiologist who has expertise in heart failure, cardiac amyloidosis and conducting amyloidosis drug studies. He was hospitalized, considered a heart transplant, and ultimately chose the hospice unit in Columbia Presbyterian Hospital when his body continued to fail.

He didn't talk or share much about his diagnosis until he was hospitalized in July in Houston with myocarditis. When he was discharged home, he started sharing his diagnosis with more family, friends and acquaintances. He did this to explain what was going on with him, in addition to educating everyone about amyloidosis since it is often unrecognized. His symptoms included carpal tunnel, bicep tendon rupture, lumbar spinal stenosis, an enlarged heart, atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias, polyneuropathy, orthostatic hypotension, and other autonomic dysfunctions. Some of his symptoms started about 10 years ago. He would encourage anyone who has some of these issues to be screened.

There will be a Celebration of his Life at Trinity Episcopal Church on December 29, 2023, at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to:

Hospice of South Texas

605 E. Locust

Victoria, TX 77901

Amyloidosis Research Consortium, Inc.

320 Nevada Street, Suite 210

Newton, MA 02460

Trinity Episcopal Church

1501 N. Glass

Victoria, TX. 77901

Kindly note that virtual attendance for those unable to attend may be accessed by www.facebook.com/rosewoodfhvictoria

We invite you to take a few moments to share fond memories and words of comfort and condolence with his family by visiting www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.