Gundy, John E.

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John E. Gundy was born Aug 25 1905 in Chatham Ontario to William Eveleigh and Edith Verity Gundy. He attended school in Chatham and received his and medical degrees from the University of Toronto. Dr Gundy moved to New York in 1933 and completed his pediatric residency at New York Hospital. He married Evelyn Howard on Dec 22 1934 in Old Greenwich Ct. In Rye his family lived on Greenleaf Street and were members of the Presbyterian Church.

John served as medical officer in the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division during World War II. He joined
the Army in July 1942 and in the fall
of that year he was assigned to the
famed Ski troops at the mountain
training center at Camp Hale. Colo

These men had undergone a rigorous, specialized training program before going overseas. The curriculum of the mountain infantry is to dig into a snow bank and wait; take long marches through a cutting wind at a temperature well below zero; eat, sleep, work and live in the bitterness of the cold and wet. They have to be mule packers, rock climbers and mountaineers in general, because the caissons don’t go rolling along in the mountains. All the way, along broken trails or through soft, knee-deep snow, artillery equipment has to be hand lugged or mule-packed. The snow training is not restricted to the infantry and artillery, but is equally a vital part of the training of the Medics, the Signal Corps and the Engineers.

When the 10th Mountain Division went overseas, Major John Gundy was the Division Medical Inspector. The first element went into the line in the Apennine Mountains on January 9, 1945 and all the Division was committed before the end of the month. For several weeks, they showed their stuff in long range patrolling deep into the enemy lines, some of them getting a chance to use their skiis, but if the public has visions of thousands of white-clad figures racing downhill with tommy guns rattling, they will be disillusioned. Most of the snow has gone and the most characteristic performance by these boys is taking loads that would break lesser men’s backs, going up steep trails where even the mules refuse to go.

Major Gundy’s record speaks for itself. He was decorated with the Bronze Star for meritorious service in combat in the Apennine Mountains and Po Valley.

No gory details or hair-raising
stories were forthcoming from Major
John E. Gundy when asked about his
experiences with the Medical
Corps, 10th Mountain Division, in
Italy. He merely smiled and said he
liked the Italian people as a whole,
thought the country beautiful, particularly in the foothills of the Alps
where he visited Mussolini’s villa on
Lake Garda a few days after he died,
and although he liked seeing various
parts of Europe, he was very glad to
be back home. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in November 1946, almost a year after his discharge.

He returned to his practice, which he limited to pediatrics and pediatric allergies. He had been certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Dr Gundy was a pediatrician on staff at United Hospital from 1934 to 1992. He was chairman of the pediatrics department 1955 to 1969 and was the hospital’s assistant Chief of staff from 1969 to 1970.

He had a private practice on Cedar Street in Rye. Dr Gundy was president of the Westchester Mental Hygiene Association from 1952 to 1955 .

Dr Albert Parker the hospitals assistant chairman of obstetrics and gynecology’ recalled Dr Gundy as a well-respected man and an absolutely consummate gentleman. He was a deeply religious man in whom we all had a tremendous amount of respect and confidence” he said.

Dr Gundy’s colleagues presented him with a plaque upon his retirement The plaque which is on a wall in the pediatrics unit says: “His unwavering dedication to his profession skill and compassion have touched the lives of thousands of children: and have bettered all those who have had the privilege of working with him”

After his retirement from the hospital Dr Gundy continued his private practice for two years. He was a school physician for the Rye city school district for many years and served on the Rye Board of Education from 1965 to 1970. Dr Gundy was an active member of Rye Presbyterian Church serving as an elder from 1963 to 1969 He and his wife taught a Bible study course there

Dr John E Gundy: pediatrician Or John Eveleigh Gundy a Rye resident who practiced pediatrics in the community and at United Hospital Medical Center Tor 60 years died Sunday at Osborn Retirement Community in Rye He was 90

At the time of his death, Dr Gundy was predeceased by his wife and survived by four sons John H Gundy of Danbury Conn William E Gundy of Lincoln Mass David H Gundy of Bedford NH and Edward V Gundy of Rye 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren Two brothers Joseph Gundy and Harry Gundy and a sister Muriel Kathleen Gundy died earlier.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75748784/obituary…