Dr. Waldron M. Sennott

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Dr. Waldron Morton Sennott, of Baltimore MD, known for his warmth and good humor, his service to others and his belief in the goodness of all, died of congestive heart failure at his apartment in the Pickersgill Retirement  Community, Towson MD, on March 3, 2016. He would have been 107 years old March 31.

Waldron, better known as Wally, was born on March 31, 1909, in Keene, N.H., to Arthur K. Sennott and Ethel Benjamin. He grew up in Torrington, Conn. During high school he played on both football and basketball teams, and managed the track team, while excelling in Latin and other college-prep studies. Toward the end of high school, he decided he wanted to become a doctor. This objective would be daunting, given the financial depression to come. Part-time jobs, scholarships, and loans from a dear friend would help him through both college and medical school. Upon arrival at Colgate University in 1928, he worked in the Commons kitchen while diligently pursuing his studies. The summer of his sophomore year, he worked at Camp Mohawk, where he met a certain Girl Scout counselor, the love of his life, Adelaide Stanley. In June 1932, he graduated summa cum laude and phi beta kappa.

Then it was off to Harvard Medical School. Between his second and third year, he left school to work in sales for a pharmaceutical company. In his final year at Harvard, he became particularly interested in public health, and upon graduation in 1937 accepted an internship with the U.S. Public Health Service at its Staten Island, N.Y., hospital.

After a long courtship, Wally and Addie were married on Jan. 9, 1938. That same year he received a reserve commission in the United States Coast Guard, serving in New York and Boston as well as aboard the USCG cutter Cuyahoga in the North Atlantic as the ship’s doctor.

In 1940, following his USCG duties, he joined the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, beginning training in radiology at its Staten Island hospital, followed by stints at New Orleans and Cleveland hospitals. In October 1942 he was called to Washington to head a large-scale tuberculosis x-ray screening of 120,000 federal employees. From that point forward, he rose through the USPHS system, heading the department of radiology in Staten Island, advancing to captain’s rank, and appointed to diplomat rank in the American College of Radiology. In 1958 he was transferred to the USPHS hospital in Wyman Park, Baltimore, Md., retiring from the service in 1965 with honors. Subsequently he joined the radiology staff of Baltimore City Hospital, specializing in pediatric radiology, and was appointed assistant professor of radiology at Johns Hopkins. Full retirement in 1972 afforded him time to pursue and share many interests with Addie and family.

Late in the summer of 1945, Wally was invited to visit the Vineyard by a friend stationed at the U.S. Marine Hospital, a small facility instituted in 1895 to serve the busy merchant marine of that era. Thus began a lifelong summer pilgrimage for Wally and his family. After two years renting at Lambert’s Cove, they bought a beachfront parcel by Dogfish Bar in Gay Head (Aquinnah), where they built their camp. There were no other homes, no electricity, and no roads in the immediate vicinity. Lumber was hauled in by ox team by Jack Belain, a member of the Wampanoag tribe. Eventually a dirt road came, fittingly named Oxcart Road. For over 60 years, up until his 99th year, Wally spent his summers there with wife Addie, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, enjoying and maintaining his cottage, reading, socializing, fishing, snorkeling, and clamming. In his 106th year, this last spring, he encouraged the full restoration of the camp by his son Jim and grandchildren Kyle, Randy, and Sara.

In the early cottage days, Wally became close friends with a number of Gay Headers in Lobsterville, who perhaps felt the doctor from New York City was a bit out of his depth. Billy Ryan bailed Wally out of many a plumbing challenge, and Albert Saunders of Lobsterville was a constant source of encouragement. Meanwhile, the Sennotts became great friends with Roy Mankinen, head of the Vineyard Haven hospital, and his family. And Wally’s annual boating-maintenance routine often began with trips to Burt’s Boat Yard. Wally and Addie developed a long and close friendship with Erford and Alice Burt.

In the early ’50s Wally convinced the pastor of his church in Staten Island, the Rev. John Reid, to visit the Island, and thus a camp was built next door, this one salvaged from sections of an old fishing shack washed up on Lobsterville Beach in the ’38 hurricane, again hauled by oxcart.

Wally’s most notable friendship was with Jay Wright and his wife Mary Lou. Jay’s mother had been a patient of Wally’s at the USPHS hospital in Staten Island, and Mary Lou the organist of his church. The Wrights fell in love with the Vineyard at their first visit, and built their summer home on the Chilmark side of Menemsha Pond. This friendship continues today through four family generations.

Until his 104th year, Wally pursued his great love of golf, particularly enjoying rounds at the Mink Meadows course at West Chop, as well as Mount Pleasant and Pine Ridge courses in Baltimore. In 2013 he was honored by the Pine Ridge Senior Golf Club membership for his steadfast devotion to the game.

Since growing up in the Baptist Church in Groton, Vt., Wally was active in church life. He served as elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Staten Island, and as deacon of the Babcock Presbyterian Church of Baltimore, and regularly attended the Gay Head Community Baptist Church during summers.

Waldron is survived by his wife Adelaide (Addie) Sennott, and their son James Waldron Sennott, of Sarasota, Fla.; five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his mother Ethel Farrow of Torrington, Conn., his father Arthur K. Sennott of South Deerfield; his sister Winifred O’Donnell of Torrington Conn., and son Roger Stanley Sennott of San Diego, Calif. His spirit will be missed.

A memorial service was held on March 12  at the Pickersgill Retirement Community, Towson MD, officiated by Rev. Harry Cahill,  followed by burial at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, Timonium MD. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Babcock Presbyterian Church, 8240 Loch Raven Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21286.