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Gerhard Nothmann Obituary

LEE — Dr. Gerhard Nothmann, a prominent psychiatrist and pioneer of mental health services in New Hampshire, died from natural causes on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008.

Dr. Nothmann, a resident of Lee, New Hampshire, was 96 years old.

Dr. Nothmann was born to Albert and Wanda Priester Nothmann, respected wholesale grocers in the town of Gross Strehlitz in Eastern Germany, on Sept. 23, 1912. He received a medical degree in 1938 from the University of Bern in Switzerland. Escaping the Nazis, Dr. Nothmann came to America in 1940. He completed his medical residency in pediatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He also earned a Fellow of Child Psychiatry at the Institute for Juvenile Medicine in Chicago.

Dr. Nothmann is survived by his nephews and nieces, Eric Nothman of Bethesda, Md., Kenneth Friedman of New York City, Leslie Kuester of Hanover, Germany, and Lane Nothman of Seattle, Wash.; as well as eight grandnephews and grandnieces.

WE REMEMBER: Dr. Nothmann moved to New Hampshire in 1946 and worked for the state hospital in pediatrics. It was there he met mental health pioneer Anna Philbrook. He joined with her in starting the Child Guidance Clinic, a traveling clinic that brought mental health services to all areas of New Hampshire, some for the first time.

In 1951, Dr. Nothmann became the first board-certified psychiatrist in the state of New Hampshire. Again working with Ms. Philbrook, he helped found Winant House, New Hampshire's first outpatient mental health clinic.

Dr. Nothmann went on to become medical director of the first community, privately supported mental health center, the Dover Child Guidance Center (later The Strafford Guidance Center) from 1955 through 1970. The Strafford Guidance Center under Dr. Nothmann was inspired by President Kennedy's National Initiative on Mental Health. Dr. Nothmann continued at Strafford as a consulting psychiatrist until 1979.

Dr. Nothmann treated many New Hampshire residents in his nearly 40 years of private practice. He was the sole psychiatric consultant for the University of New Hampshire in Durham for 41 years from 1952 through 1993, helping countless students.

Dr. Nothmann served as president of the New Hampshire branch of the American Psychiatric Association. He was an "emeritus" member of the New Hampshire Medical Society and served on the board of directors of the Philbrook Children's Foundation.

Among his many honors, in 2003, Dr. Nothmann was named a prestigious Distinguished Life Fellow by the American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Nothmann was an avid skier and climber who loved New Hampshire's outdoors. He hiked many of the state's mountains and was proud of climbing and skiing down Mount Washington's Tuckerman Ravine many times. A world traveler, Dr. Nothmann visited dozens of exotic locations and cataloged his trips in photographs.

SERVICES: Services and burial will be held at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at Lee Hill Cemetery, across from the Town Hall in Lee. The public is invited. Brewitt Funeral Home of Exeter is handling arrangements. To sign an online guest book, visit www.brewittfuneralhome.com.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Seacoastonline.com on Nov. 15, 2008.

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Joyce Fry

November 7, 2009

10/31/09 Dear Family of Dr. Nothmann. I have just learned of the passing of Dr. Nothmann. I was sad at first, but when I realized just how very long he was fortunate to live A warm happy feeling came over me. I remembered how much he appeared to love life -Mskiing, traveling, the out doors in just about every aspect. I would say " Well done, Dr. Nothmann, you have lived life to the fullest. You spent your time giving to others and enjoying nature's gifts to the world. Most importantly ,in my opinion, caring for the troubled children in N.H.Well done in deed!"
I knew your uncle through his profession. He was responsible for helping me to resume my own interests -skiing, music, hiking. Very healing activities. We also shared a great interest in being instrumental in recognizing and helping troubled children. He once told me I should be a psychiatrist. I did become a therapist. He was very instrumental in helping me achieve that goal. I am very grateful for that.
I am sorry you no longer have this interesting and kind man in your lives.I think I still feel great affection for him and probably always will. I suspect you all feel pretty much the same way.

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