Dr. Benjamin M. Rigor Sr, member of the SPSA and lecturer in SPSA Seminars died December 11, 2021. below is his Obituary
Benjamin M. Rigor, M.D. was born in the Philippines Islands. He obtained his B.S. in Public Health at the University of the Philippines and his M.D. at the University of East-Ramon Magsaysay Medical Center (UERMMMC), Philippines. In 2001, in recognition of his contribution to Academic and International Medicine, the University of the Philippines awarded him the degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D.), honoris causa. He is the first postdoctoral fellow in Pharmacology at the University Of Kentucky College Of Medicine, Lexington, KY, where he also completed his residency in Anesthesiology under Peter P. Bosomworth, M.D., then Professor and Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology, UK College of Medicine. He is the First and Founding Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, N.J. and the University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX. He was the youngest Chair in Academic Medicine in 1969 at the age of 33. Prior to his retirement in Academic Medicine, he was Professor and Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY, serving as the longest Chair in Anesthesiology in the history of the Medical School for two decades. Prior to his death, he was Emeritus Professor and Chairman of the same department.
In 1971, he was drafted during the Vietnam War and served Active Duty. He continued to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve, retiring after 26 years obtaining the rank of Captain (O-6). Among his military appointments, he was appointed the Medical School Liaison Officer (MLSO) for the University of Louisville for 15 years, Blue Affiliate for the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD for minority Midshipmen and also served as the Specialty Consultant for the Surgeon General of the U.S. Navy, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), Washington, D.C.
During his internship, he married Violeta T. Rigor, who was then, Chief of Clinical Psychology, Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of the East. He is survived by his loving wife and children, Benjamin Jr., Tony (Annie), and Benedict. They also have eight grandchildren, Shane Thomas, Jasmine Kelly, and Benjamin, III of Louisville, KY, and Adam, Nico, Gaby, Anna, and Leila. And two great-grandchildren, Ezra and Cameron.
Dr. Rigor devoted so much time, effort, and energy to philanthropic endeavours in the third-world countries being the Founder of Operation Rainbow, Houston, TX, the Operation Smile, Norfolk, VA, and the Operation HOPE, New Jersey City, N.J. which were organizations which took care of medical/surgical problems of indigent children and adults with maxilla-facial abnormalities.
He is a lifetime member of the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) and was the former President, Louisville Society of Anesthesiologists (LSA) and the Kentucky Society of Anesthesiology (KSA). He has numerous scientific publications and has trained many specialists in anesthesiology. He devoted sincere effort with dedication in the continuing medical education of physicians (CME) by serving as Director of CME for the Association of Philippines Physicians in America, Inc. (APPA) for 25 years and the American College of International Physicians (ACIP) for 12 years.