John L. Guerrant

John L. Guerrant

John L. Guerrant of Charlottesville died on Saturday, February 11, 2012.

He was born in Callaway, Virginia, on December 28, 1910, the son of Dr Samuel S. and Florence Guerrant. One of ten children, he grew up on his parents' apple orchard, Algoma.

He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in 1933. He received his M.D. from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1937. Dr. Guerrant had a long and distinguished career at the University of Virginia as professor of internal medicine and attending physician on the hospital staff. Highlights of this career were Chief of the Pulmonary Allergy Division and founder of the Pulmonary Function Laboratory. He was active in the American Lung Association, Albemarle County Medical Society, Southeastern Allergy Association, American Academy of Allergy among many other professional associations. Upon his retirement in 1976, he was named Professor Emeritus. After retirement he developed a second career as the chairman of the Medical Society of Virginia Professional Review Organization. In 2006, he received the Raven Award in recognition of excellence in service and contribution to the University of Virginia.

Dr. Guerrant served with the University of Virginia's 8th Evacuation Hospital during World War II in the North African and Italian campaigns. He formed life long bonds with the hospital staff and actively pursued the history of the unit in following years. Upon his return in 1945, he married Laura Elizabeth Bailey. They were married for almost 61 years until her death in 2006. John Guerrant was an active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, serving as deacon and elder for many terms. He was a respected and outstanding physician, a thoughtful educator, a benevolent volunteer, loving husband and father.

He is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Laura and Frank Smith of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Sallie and Bill Herling of Bellevue, Washington; his granddaughters and their husbands, Elizabeth and Barry Zickuhr of Olympia, Washington, and Bryce and Will Dodge of Bellevue, Washington; his three great- grandchildren; his sister, Polly Dodson of Charleston, West Virginia; and numerous nieces and nephews.

There will be a memorial service at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, 2 p.m. Saturday, March 17, 2012. The members of John's family are very grateful for the excellent and kind care provided by the staff of Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge and T&L Companions staff. His family is also very grateful to his many friends for their support and companionship during his last few years. Memorial contributions may be made to support his life long devotion to the University of Virginia by donating to the John L. Guerrant Professorship, UVa Health System Development Office, P.O. Box 800773, Charlottesville VA 22908 or to Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, Historical Collections, P.O. Box 800722, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0722.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.