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Nola Sizemore

Staff Writer

Longtime physician, community leader and contributing writer to the Harlan Daily Enterprise Dr. Sandford Logan Weiler Sr., 87 of Harlan, passed away at his residence on Friday.

A 1942 graduate of Harlan High School, he went on to serve in the Army Air Corps as a 1st Lt., P-38 Pilot, Photo Reconnaissance. Dr. Weiler graduated as Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Society: Outstanding Male Student of Graduating Class at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1951. He began his practice in Harlan and in 1960 he relocated to Frankfort. He became Professor and Chairman of the Department of Family Medicine for the University of Tennessee College (UTC) of Medicine -Chattanooga Unit and was awarded Clinician of the Year at UTC Clinical Education Center. Family members said because he missed seeing patients, he returned to practice medicine in Harlan County until his retirement in 2003, marking 50 years of practice.

“Dr. Weiler was very faithful being on our board at Hospice,” said Hospice of the Bluegrass Mountain Heritage Community Resource Coordinator Vicki Prince. “He was very supportive of Hospice, showing a great concern for the patients and the care they were getting. Not only that, he was also concerned about our staff and how difficult it can be at times. He was a very kind and generous man, very compassionate about life and his role as a physician. He had a great sense of humor that sometimes made me think about the things he said. He will be missed tremendously.”

Harlan ARH Hospital CEO Dan Stone said, “Dr. Weiler was well regarded by colleagues and patients for his great skill and compassionate manner. As a Harlan native he was a vital supporter of our hospital’s work from its beginning in the 1950s. We can’t help but note his passing with a touch of sadness but we can also be filled with joy in celebrating one who lived a remarkable life in service to others.”

Harlan County Judge-Executive Joe Grieshop said he served with Dr. Weiler on the Harlan County Board of Health and also worked with him at Harlan ARH Hospital.

“Dr. Weiler had the utmost concern for patients and for his community,” said Grieshop. “We will dearly miss him because he still served on the Harlan County Board of Health until just a few weeks ago.”

Contributing many articles to the Harlan Daily Enterprise, Regional Editor Debbie Caldwell remembers Dr. Weiler as being “one of the sweetest people she has ever met.”

“He was very knowledgeable on current events whether they were local, state or national,” said Caldwell. “He always wanted to see that the public was informed through his insight into an important issue. Everyone at the Harlan Daily Enterprise and our readers will deeply miss Dr. Weiler.”

Reach Nola Sizemore at 606-573-4510 or at nsizemore@heartlandpublications.com