LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Dr. John Favret Spring
passionate healer, adventurer, family man and devoted member of his
community

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor
served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great
State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Dr. John Favret Spring of Vestal, New York, died on Wednes-
day, September 23, 2015, at the age of 89; and
WHEREAS, Dr. John Favret Spring distinguished himself in his profes-
sion and by his sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the
welfare of his community; and
WHEREAS, John "Jack" Favret Spring's dedication to medicine began
during World War II where he proudly served his country as a medic; in
August of 2015, United States Congressman Richard Hanna awarded this
valiant soldier for his service with an American Flag that flew over the
United States Capitol; he lost many friends in World War II and always
flew an American flag in their honor; and
WHEREAS, John Favret Spring began his professional career as a high
school science teacher in Callicoon, New York; at the age of 28, he left
his career as a teacher to attend medical school at New York Medical
College; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from medical school, Dr. John Favret Spring
began practicing medicine in rural Watkins Glen, New York, and was often
paid in tomatoes and odd jobs; throughout his celebrated medical career,
he delivered babies, performed surgery and made numerous house calls to
those in need; and
WHEREAS, As the Medical Director of the United States Grand Prix in
Watkins Glen, New York, Dr. John Favret Spring improved the safety and
emergency response for drivers and race fans; and
WHEREAS, In the 1960s, Dr. John Favret Spring moved to the Southern
Tier where he partnered with Charles Aswad, M.D.; early in his practice,
he worked to ensure that the residents of Broome County and surrounding
communities were vaccinated against polio, one of the most feared
diseases of the time; he consulted with fellow physicians, Dr. Salk and
Dr. Sabin, and organized a local "Sabin on Sunday" campaign, which
resulted in the inoculation of 250,000 people over the course of three
weeks; and
WHEREAS, In the early 1970s, Dr. John Favret Spring and his partners
introduced Binghamton General Hospital to a 24-hour physician staffed
emergency room; the team then pioneered the walk-in medical clinic,
where care was available without an appointment, providing, at the time,
unequaled accessibility to primary and urgent medical care late into the
night; and
WHEREAS, Today, Dr. John Favret Spring's outstanding medical inno-
vations have become standard practice throughout the country; and
WHEREAS, Dr. John Favret Spring was passionate about everything he
did; he was both a member and past Council Chair at Binghamton Universi-
ty, where he provided fair and balanced guidance through the tremendous
growth of this vital educational institution; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Dr. John Favret served as a Clinical Associate
Professor at Upstate Medical Center Clinical Campus and was a senior
member of the medical staff at United Health Services and Lourdes Hospi-
tal; he was also a partner in Physician Service Associates and Susque-
hanna Medical Affiliates; and

WHEREAS, This remarkable man was a board member of numerous organiza-
tions including Catholic Charities, Binghamton Rotary, the American
Cancer Society, and the Red Cross, as well as Broome County Medical
Society, which led to improvements to health care and the community in
which he lived; and
WHEREAS, For Dr. John Favret Spring's superlative commitment and
revolutionary additions to the medical field, the Whiting Spring Center
for Hypertension Management was named in this esteemed man's honor in
2015; and
WHEREAS, When Dr. John Favret Spring was not taking care of his
patients, he loved to travel and enjoyed exploring the world; at the
early age of five, he began his quest for adventure, scuba diving below
100 feet in the Gulf of Mexico three times in one day, a feat beyond
younger and more experienced divers; and
WHEREAS, As the years went on, Dr. John Favret Spring helped crew the
Pride of Baltimore from Hawaii to Alaska, and earned a Captain's License
in the United States Coast Guard and, subsequently, chartered sailboats
all over the world; and
WHEREAS, Dr. John Favret Spring sailed into the Greek Islands where he
hiked to the temple of Asklepielon to recite the Hippocratic Oath,
climbed Mt. Machu Picchu, traveled to Antarctica, the Galapagos Islands,
the Arctic Circle, Africa, and the Caribbean with his wife Anne by his
side; together, the dynamic couple hot air ballooned over a herd of wild
elephants on the African Serengeti; and
WHEREAS, Dr. John Favret Spring dove with Israeli Commandos in the Red
Sea exploring underwater photography, and he also skied all over the
world; he took great pride in his ability to ski as an octogenarian;
between adventures, he enjoyed the serenity of his sailboat, Go-Won-Go,
and cottage on Seneca Lake; and
WHEREAS, Although he was known as an adventurer, Dr. John Favret
Spring cherished his family above all else; he was the ultimate life
coach and reveled in others' accomplishments and enthusiastically
attended countless athletic events, performances, and award ceremonies
for his treasured grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Predeceased by his wife, Anne Gray Spring, his mother, Verna
Favret Spring, his father, Michael John Spring, and his sister, Patricia
(Donald), Dr. John Favret Spring is survived by four daughters, Patricia
(Bradley), Diane (Gregory), Suzanne (Timothy), and Barbara (Terrence);
14 grandchildren, Michael, Meredith, Christopher, John, Erin, Suzanne,
Kyle, Kari, Brian, Megan, Michael, Marisa, Shannon and Charles; six
great-grandchildren, Bevin, Foster, Jackson, Ania, Cailey, and Jadyn;
.SO DOC S R3251 RESO TEXT 2015
one sister, Marjorie (Red); as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and
special family friends; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Dr. John Favret Spring, the "most interesting man in the
world," leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of
time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and
befriended; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Dr. John Favret Spring, passionate healer, adventur-
er, family man and devoted member of his community; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Dr. John Favret Spring.