Dr. Hoxsie Receives Creative Living Award

By CK Wolfson - August 10, 2006

The diversity of speakers at Tuesday evening's presentation of The Creative Living Award was itself testimony of the range and depth of 2006 recipient Russell S. Hoxsie's impact on the Island. They included family physician Dr. Henry Nieder, musician Philip Dietterich, artist and poet Dan Waters, and attorney Ron Rappaport.

Seated in the front row at The Grange, surrounded by his wife Marianne, children, and grandchildren, Dr. Hoxsie, his smile broad and fixed, listened with what seemed like both delight and embarrassment as the anecdotes and accolades flowed.

Established in 1983 by Ruth Redding in honor of Ruth J. Bogan, the award, under the auspices of the Permanent Endowment Fund For Martha's Vineyard, is designated "to honor people whose lives reflect the luminous and creative spirit that marked Ruth J. Bogan's versatility in photography, painting, sculpture, jewelry, cooking, gardening, and in encouraging fine craftsmanship, creativity, and ingenuity in others."

Dr. Hoxsie joins past recipients who include, among others: Allen Whiting, the African-American Heritage Trail of M.V., Peter Boak, John Abrams, Debbie Milne, Kathleen and Bill Costanza, Stan Murphy, David and Rosalee McCullough, Art Buchwald, Gus BenDavid, and 2005 recipient, MJ Bruder Munafo.

A family physician for close to 50 years (tributes were paid to his frequent middle-of-the-night house calls), Dr. Hoxsie pioneered the study and treatment of Lyme disease. He is a poet (member of the former Cleaveland House poetry group), writer and regular columnist ("Off North Road") for the Martha's Vineyard Times, and author of "Let's Walk, Lily," (Martha's Vineyard Times Press, 2004). A former member of Island Community Chorus, his poem, "Road Sense," was set to the original music of Philip Dietterich and recently performed by the chorus.

Impressive as all that is, the gathering filling The Grange to honor him, joined the consensus that more than what Dr. Hoxsie accomplished, it is the manner in which it was done that distinguished him.

Mr. Dietterich noted, "He is always so positive." Dr. Nieder, a former associate in his practice, spoke of Dr. Hoxsie's creative expertise in solving problems during a time when being a family practitioner on the Island was significantly more difficult. "He maintained his skills, and kept adding new ones. I believe the people of Martha's Vineyard are very privileged to have had him as their doctor."

Mr. Waters, before dazzling the crowd with the recitation of an original poem, described Dr. Hoxsie as, "a talented, highly creative, deeply thoughtful man who never stopped struggling to make sense of the world and somehow integrate or reconcile his widely varied personal experiences as a doctor and family man."

Mr. Rappaport, admitting he asked to present the award, explained that his father, Dr. David Rappaport, was a colleague of Dr. Hoxsie, reiterated the qualifications for the honor, and concluded, "So I ask, does he qualify?" To which the hall filled with approving applause.

"What more can a community do for a single person, or family," Dr. Hoxsie said as he accepted the plaque. After introducing his wife - "She's the reason I'm here," he added, "The community has always been very good to me, and there are no words to describe how I feel."

As friends and family crowded around to congratulate him, his son, Steven Hoxsie from Portland, Maine, was asked if the honor was all that he could have expected. "I'm not sure about that," he responded, "but he was the perfect father."