“I pray every day for my patients, my family, my co-workers and finally myself,” the beloved Dr. Andrisse had said of the role faith played in his personal life and his practice of medicine.
On Wednesday, August 18, 2010, Dr. Andrisse passed at Christian Hospital NE with his loving wife of 43 years, Yorvoll, and family by his side.
Born in May 15, 1945 to the late Celima Belance and Dufplessy Andrisse in Port-á-Piment, Haiti, Dr. Andrisse attended the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy State University of Haiti, where he received his medical degree. He began his medical career in obstetrics and gynecology and worked as an attending instructor of Ob/Gyn at the Maternity I. Jeanty Hospital, where he was responsible for the Mobile Clinic Programs of Family Planning and Materno–Infant Medicine in Port-au-Prince Haiti.
In 1983, Dr. Andrisse came to St. Louis, Missouri. Upon completing an internship at Deaconess Hospital, he obtained his license to practice family medicine in the State of Illinois. Over the course of his 23 year career as a family physician, Dr. Andrisse practiced at St. Mary’s Hospital, the Southern Illinois Regional Wellness Center, and The Southern Health Care Foundation. Board certified in emergency medicine in 1996, Dr. Andrisse was the personal physician to the late dancer/educator/activist Katherine Dunham.
Dr. Andrisse was a member and former president of the St. Louis Chapter of the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad (A.M.H.E.), a former member of the board of directors of the AMHE Foundation, and named “Physician of the Year” by the National Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad. He also served as president of the Class of 72 Association, Inc., an association formed by the doctors of his medical school class. Under his leadership, the Association donated approximately 25 beds mattresses to the Referral Hospital of Port-a-Piment.
In addition to being involved in his native Haiti, Dr. Andrisse was also an active and supportive member of the East St. Louis Community. While serving as the Chief of Medical Staff at St. Mary’s, he established a scholarship for students attending East St. Louis Senior High School who plan to pursue a nursing program at an accredited college, university or vocational school. As medical chief of staff at St. Mary’s, he organized the First Annual Recognition Dinner, which celebrated the Nurse of the Year for service and dedication to patient care.
To his friends and colleagues in the Haitian medical community, Dr. Andrisse was known as the “Professor,” but to those who loved him dearly he was simply called “Papou.”
In addition to his wife, Dr. Andrisse is survived by five children, daughters Scherer (Chris) Newton and Yorvoll (Robert) Gardner and sons Vladimir Andrisse, William Andrisse, Jr., and Stanley Andrisse, all of whom reside in St. Louis, Missouri; seven sisters; eight grand-children; his brothers and sisters of the Class of 1972; and a host of family and friends.
The funeral will be held at 10 am on Saturday, August 28, 2010 at St. Angela Merici Parish, 3860 N. Hwy 67, Florissant, Missouri. Visitation will take place from 3 pm to 8 pm on Friday, August 27, 2010 at Valhalla Funeral Chapel, 7600 St. Charles Rock Road, St. Louis, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Class of 72 Association, Inc., 13108 Tamarack Road, Silver Springs, Maryland 20904.
