Dr. Fred Chu

Dr. Fred Chu of Juneau, Alaska passed away this past Saturday at 8:15 PM. Due to illness it has been about 5 years since he practiced at the SEARHC clinic in Juneau. At the clinic he was well thought of and a favorite doctor of clients.

I didn't know Dr. Chu very well. My wife, Joni, who had worked at the clinic for a number of years only had good things to say about him. I first met Dr. Chu when he came into Joni's room at the Bartlett Hospital, which is just up the hill from SEARHC. This was on October 17, 2000. Joni was in labor with out first and only child. Dr Chu did some centering exercises with Joni. He stretched out her legs so the baby would have an easy path to follow. Then our regular Dr. Bob Urata came into the room. Bob and Fred joked about Fred stepping in on his patient. Dr. Urata was missing one of the World Series games to deliver our baby, but he was in a good mood.

In August of 2002, our little family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. We moved so our daughter could grow up in a larger Jewish Community the Juneau offered. In our hearts though Juneau would always be our home.

We were never completely comfortable in Minneapolis. Then in April, of 2005, Joni learned that Dr. Chu had stopped practicing due to something unknown and unrecognized that affected his brain. There was a dinner being held in honor of Dr. Chu. Joni flew back to Juneau for the dinner and to visit Dr. Chu along with some other friends.

In the Summer of 2005 we trickled up to Juneau for a long visit. We knew we probably wouldn't being going back to Minneapolis. The family settled back into our Juneau life. We found a small apartment, and soon cracks in our relationship began to appear. We separated in January of 2006. Joni began to care more and more for Fred. Then in November of 2006 Sasha and Joni moved in with Fred so Joni could devoted herself to his care.

What little I heard Dr. Chu's condition was not good. His time was getting short, but no one expected him to leave this past Saturday.

It almost surprises me the sadness I feel. Many times I am close to tears, and sometimes they flow. I'm concerned about my daughter and her mother. And I feel their pain. In someway it feels like I have lost a member of my extended family.

While Joni and I were still together she took me to see Dr. Chu. I have health issues of my own. He had me lie on his massage table and he rubbed my back. His examination complete, he suggested I talk to a tree and then come back. I knew what he meant. Go talk to a tree and get in touch with my inner self, and the world around me.

I never did go talk to a tree. When Sasha's grief begins to ebb, I will take her to talk to a tree. It will be our way of remembering Dr. Chu. I have the feeling that we will do a lot of tree talking. I am sorry that I didn't get to know Dr. Chu better. From everything I have heard and seen he was one of those people who have made the world a better place to live.