Born
in 1930 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dr. Eugene Merlin Bont attended Northwestern
Medical School. He married Phyllis Flint, whom he met in kindergarten. Phyllis,
a nurse, became one of the first nurse practitioners in Vermont. Together they
would come to Cavendish to provide medical care and to raise their family
Gene
loved to tell the story of how he came to Cavendish.
Prior to his arrival, the physician serving
the town died. Two fatal car accidents occurred and Cavendish found they could
not rely on Ludlow for medical coverage. Community leaders meet with the
University of Vermont Medical School and were advised to equip a medical office
and then recruit a physician. Kenwood Mills, who purchased Gay Brothers Mills
and its holdings in 1951, donated the stone building to help form the new Black
River Health Center (BRHC).
On
his first visit, they drove him along the Cavendish Reading Road and he was
sold. As much as he wanted to live there, he settled on the large white house
that overlooked Cavendish Village and was built by Olin Gay. Here, he and
Phyllis raised seven children and entertained many of the neighborhood kids.
In
addition to being a country doctor and starting a Federally Qualified Health Center
(FQHC), he pioneered the use of physician extenders as a way to support the
growing health needs in rural America.
In 1988, Dr. Bont not only received the Physician of the Year Award from the Vermont Medical Society but he left Cavendish for Albany Medical Center’s Department of Family Medicine. Here he would not only continue to practice but he was actively involved in training students and residents, as well as helping to chart new directions in Family Medicine.
Upon retiring in 1999, Dr. Bont returned to Cavendish full time. Shortly thereafter, his combined love of children and education, led him to become a member of the CTES board, often serving as chair, until the board was dissolved in June 2018. In recent years, he was also on the GMUHS Board.
Loving the outdoors, it was no
surprise that he became a Master Gardener in retirement. Dr. Bont was also a
volunteer for his grandsons’ Boy Scout Troop as well as helping out with the sixth
grade annual Camp Keewadin trip.
He was a runner and hiker and at 80
years of age, he participated in the Cavendish Historical Society’s hike over
Hawks Mountain to look for the fabled cannon.
In 2015, he received the George F.
Leland Award, which recognizes an individual who exemplifies the highest ideals
of community health care. Named in honor of the first president of Springfield
Hospital, it was given to Dr. Bont in recognition for his leadership of the Black River Health Center, which served
Ludlow, Proctorsville, and Cavendish, and his ground breaking work to create a
way for Physician Assistants to become an important part of Springfield
Hospital and health care in general. All Physician Assistants practice today
based on the methodology developed under Dr. Bont’s leadership.
To show their appreciation of his dedication to the education of children, members of the CTES community dedicated a bench in his honor in the fall of 2018.
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| Phyllis and Gene surrounded by school children at the Bench dedication |
Dr. Bont is survived by his wife
Phyllis and six children: Sharon Jackson of San
Antonio, Texas, Carole Bont and Donald LoCascio of Woodsville, N.H., Mary
Stillwell of Sunapee, N.H., Geno and Tina Bont of Worcester, Mass., Beth and
Bruce LaBarge of Springfield, VT and Erik deNeergaard of Merrimack, N.H. A
daughter, Robin Lee Crowell/Kendall/Scannell predeceased him. In addition, he
is survived by numerous grandchildren, including Rachel Stillwell who helped to
care for him in his final illness, and great grandchildren.
