John Raymond Durocher

John Raymond Durocher, age 83, of Chestertown, Maryland passed away peacefully on Friday, January 17, 2025, at Heron Point. John was born on November 5, 1941, in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Raymond and Catherine (Welch) Durocher. He grew up in Springfield living with his parents, maternal grandparents John and Catherine Welch, and his brothers, Raymond and Donald (“Chip”). The first in his family to go to college, John graduated from Classical High School in 1959, Williams College in 1963, and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in 1967. He completed his medical internship and residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and a fellowship at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. As part of the Berry Plan, John enlisted in the Army in 1970 and served at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., until his honorable discharge in 1973. After leaving the Army, John practiced medicine for 25 years at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, retiring as chief of the Hospital’s Hematology/Oncology section. He then relocated to Rock Hall, Maryland where he established the Townsend Memorial Medical Clinic, a free healthcare service for uninsured adults, and served as the Medical Director for Hospice of Queen Anne’s. Throughout his career, he volunteered for medical missions in Afghanistan, Botswana, India and Brazil. John was also a graduate of the Penn State University Ice Cream Short Course and the owner and chief ice cream maker at Chesapeake Homemade Ice Cream in Rock Hall for 15 years. On June 13, 1964, John married Louise Darrell Bowman in Ruxton, Maryland. They celebrated 60 years of marriage, raising three children Helen (Jeff) Starman, John (Amy) Durocher, and Frances (Tilman Schneidratus) Durocher in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. They were blessed with seven grandchildren: Sarah, Jacob, and Caroline Starman; John, Christopher, and Catherine Durocher; and James Schneidratus. Anyone who knew John will remember his love of food! His children recall the many “culinary” phases of their childhood, including the “Chinese phase”, “tapas phase”, “tart phase” and “pig roast” phase to name a few. All three children are skilled sous chefs, experts at cleaning pounds of shrimp, making hundreds of wontons, and washing A LOT of dishes. John’s grandchildren likely remember his homemade ice cream best, though not always child friendly (rum raisin!), it was delicious and made with love. An avid hunter and angler, John traveled all over North and South America to hunt black bears, deer, ducks, geese, and doves, and he would “fish anywhere, anytime, with anyone for anything!” John was also a passionate collector of vintage automobiles, clocks, rugs, cookbooks, coins, and anything with a pig on it! John was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Catherine Durocher, and his brother, Donald Francis Durocher. A Memorial service will be held Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. in Welsey Hall, Heron Point, 501 E Campus Ave, Chestertown, Maryland. Lunch will be served immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in John’s memory to Animal Care Shelter for Kent County, 10168 Worton Road, Chestertown, MD, 21620. Click here to donate online

John Raymond Durocher

November 5, 1941 - January 17, 2025