Blair Brooks died peacefully at his home in Norwich, VT on August 29, 2019. He was

surrounded by friends and family who loved and supported him through the three and a half

years since he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Blair was born in 1953 and grew up in Weston, Massachusetts. Blair spent time at family

houses in Jackson, New Hampshire, and Princeton and South Orleans, Massachusetts, where

he was surrounded by a large and loving family. It was there that he learned the joys of games

and sports and made the first of his many lifelong connections and friendships.

Blair inherited a strong sense of social justice from his ancestors; his Quaker great grandfather

led one of the first regiments of black soldiers in the Civil War, his grandfather went to Selma to

march with Martin Luther King Jr., and his father was one of the first to organize legal aid for the

poor. Blair aspired to live by his grandmother's oft-quoted adage "nourish the good and let the

rest die of neglect."

At Harvard, Blair was a walk-on oarsman who went on to captain the notorious "Rude and

Smooth," never-defeated 1975 heavyweight crew team. For many years after, he looked

forward to joining those same oarsman to row in the Head of the Charles Regatta. More recently

he rowed with his daughter Ali in the parent/child races which was a thrill for both of them.

After Harvard, Blair took a "gap year" to work at a rural National Health Service clinic where he

developed his passion for primary care medicine. He went on to Dartmouth Medical School,

where he met his future wife, Nancy Philips, over their anatomy class cadaver. Following his

residency at the University of Virginia in primary care medicine, Blair spent two years in Arizona

serving in the Indian Health Service, followed by a fellowship at Duke University. He spent time

researching and exploring the intersection of internal medicine and mental health issues which

became invaluable in the care of his patients throughout his career.

Upon returning to Dartmouth, Blair pursued his love of teaching. He created educational

initiatives to promote excellence in primary care both for students and care providers. He started

a primary care residency track in internal medicine and was its first program director. Blair was

an esteemed preceptor for students and residents, demonstrating his passion for the care of his

patients and the relationships he developed with them; he was beloved by learners and patients

alike and developed friendships with many of them.

As a father, Blair was always supportive of his daughters' activities; he was a manure mover

extraordinaire when they were teenagers in love with horses. He loved spending time with them

skiing, sailing, biking, camping and hiking. He was thrilled and impressed when their activities

and adventures began to exceed what he had done. When his daughter Lindsay was studying

to become a large animal vet, Blair was an ever-enthusiastic supporter, conceding that "real

doctors treat more than one species."

Blair's passion for athletics and mentoring led him to coach his daughters' basketball and soccer

teams from elementary through middle school. One of his greatest joys was coaching the

Hanover High School boys' crew team where he was a role model and friend to many, imparting

his knowledge and technique along with fun and laughter for over a decade.

Blair's home in Norwich was a place of rejuvenation for him, away from his many professional

undertakings. He devoted himself to cultivating vegetable gardens, planting fruit trees,

maintaining the land from the seat of his tractor, and playing host to a menagerie of barn

animals. Blair's deep sense of place was a grounding force throughout his life.

Once their children left home, Blair and his wife Nancy combined their love of travel and interest

in helping medically underserved communities, making several trips to Papua New Guinea to

evaluate and provide healthcare to remote villages. They helped launch a program that

continues to support medical access and training for local health care providers. Blair's warmth,

ready smile, and sense of humor earned him enduring friendships and trust in those

communities.

Over the last three years, Blair joyfully discovered new sources of expression, particularly

singing and writing verse. He wrote over 400 poems, of which 50 are included in a book of

poetry " Spaces in Between, " soon to be published. Blair surprised himself with his newfound

love of poetry and his talent with words and imagery.

Blair is survived his wife, Nancy Philips, daughter Lindsay Brooks and son-in-law Colin Brooks,

daughter Ali Brooks and partner Gretchen Loft. He also leaves behind family members, friends,

students and admirers too numerous to mention, and an abundance of fruit trees. He cherished

all of the people who provided him with so much light at the end of his life.

A celebration of his life is planned for September 22 at 2 pm at the Hanover Crew Boathouse, 110 Lyme Road in Hanover, NH at

Fullington Farm.   Site Parking is limited. Shuttle buses will be running from Richmond Middle School, Kendal Riverfront Park, and Garipay Field.  Knight Funeral Home in White River Junction assisted with arrangements. Condolences to Blair's family may be expressed in a online guestbook at www.knightfuneralhomes.com

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to support healthcare in Papua New Guinea in Blair's

honor. Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, Healthcare Education Fund, Woodland Park Zoo

5500 Phinney Ave North, Seattle, WA 98103 Or www.treekangaroo.org