THETFORD CENTER, VT — Henry E. Payson, MD died on August 15th in the presence of loving family. He was born May 12th 1925 in New York City to Aurin and Lois “Betty” Payson. He grew up in Norwich CT and graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1943. Henry joined the army, attended West Point, and finished his undergraduate studies at Harvard in 1947. Henry attended medical school at Columbia University. He then served as an intern at Johns Hopkins, and as a resident at Duke in Medicine. Henry returned to John’s Hopkins as a resident in psychiatry, where he met his wife Barbara Jarvis who was then a medical school student. They married in 1958, first moving to the New Haven CT area where Henry practiced psychiatry and medicine at Yale. In 1963, they moved to Hanover NH where Henry became a faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry at Dartmouth College.
Henry and Barbara raised four children in Hanover, and then moved to Thetford Center VT where they have lived since 1982.
In the mid-70’s Henry earned a Master’s in Law from Yale and specialized in forensic psychiatry, working collaboratively with the state prison system in New Hampshire. Henry retired from Dartmouth in 1998, and thereafter worked in private practice in Norwich VT until 2004. He also continued to provide free mental health services at the Good Neighbor Health Clinic well into his 80’s. Henry was a career-member of the American Psychiatric Association and served on a number of committees. He testified for the APA to a number of federal government panels regarding the best ways to practice psychiatry and was considered a leader in his field.
Henry was passionate about justice, professionalism, decency, and he avidly followed the news. He never seemed to spend time worrying what others thought of him. Rather, he relished a fight against long odds, especially against powerful institutions and deadly diseases. Fanatic about caring for his patients and a fierce advocate of their rights and needs, Henry was an implacable foe of anyone or anything that hurt them. He was a role model for trainees and colleagues for how to ethically treat others, and leaves behind a legacy of compassionate care that has alleviated suffering for many.
Despite struggling for almost 50 years with a particularly challenging form of Type 1 diabetes, Henry lived to the ripe old age of 94 with few complications typically accompanying that condition: a testament to his own fortitude as well as to the care from his wife Barbara.
Henry was a member of the “Motleys” as well as a weekly breakfast group that he attended for over 20 years, the latter of which included his old Exeter friend, Bob Dodson. Thanks to Rob Chapman, Bruce Finley, as well as staff from the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, DHMC, and the Jack Byrne Center who were particularly generous to Henry and his family during his final days. Special thanks go to caregivers Ed Kerwin and Jim Fredrickson for supporting Henry through these past years.
Henry loved to ski, had a fond appreciation of horses, and enjoyed his years in NH and VT, particularly his avocation as a gentleman farmer. He is survived by Barbara, his wife of 61 years; his son John, and three daughters, Ann, Sally, and Susie; as well as his sister-in-law Mary, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his older brother Eliot. Henry also leaves behind eight grandchildren (Max, Ian, Claire, Alex, Nemo, Zante, Hardy, and Kit) who inherited his intelligence and sharp sense of humor.
A memorial service celebrating Henry’s life will be held on Friday, November 29th at 2pm at the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College.
To view an online memorial and or send a message of condolence to the family, please visit, www.rand-wilson.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Rand-Wilson Funeral Home of Hanover, NH.