Dr. William Vanderyt, 60, determined to succeed

By J.E. Geshwiler

For the AJC

Dr. William Vanderyt was good at just about everything to which he turned his hand -- orthopedic surgery, golf, tennis, landscaping, to name several of his passions. But maybe rowing best exemplifies his determination to succeed.

He discovered rowing as a Cornell University student and became good enough to earn the position of "stroke," or pacesetter, for Cornell's championship eight-man crew.

But upon embarking on a career in medicine, he had to give it up. "Rowing was likely to leave blisters on his hands, something he as a surgeon simply could not risk," said his wife, Kirby Vanderyt.

Fast forward to 2009. Dr. Vanderyt was one year into retirement and free to think about rowing again. In January, he started working out on a home rowing device. By late June he was sufficiently fit to compete in one eight-person and two four-person events at the Southeast Regional Championship Regatta in Aiken, S.C. There he and his crewmates won two gold medals and one silver.

The president of the Atlanta Rowing Club, Bernie Burgener of Alpharetta, was impressed. "For Bill to take up rowing after 39 years away from the sport and work his way into shape over a matter of months for competitive racing was remarkable," he said.

Dr. Vanderyt, 60, of Doraville, died Monday of brain cancer at Odyssey House hospice. His memorial service is at 4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Lullwater Ballroom in the Emory University Conference Center. A.M. Turner & Sons is handling arrangements.

Born in the Netherlands, Dr. Vanderyt left at age 4 with his family, eventually settling on New York's Long Island. He became a U.S. citizen in 1972.

"Even though Bill left Holland at an early age, a lot of the Dutch language came back to him when he returned years later," his wife said.

The two of them went back to Holland to mark his birthday (Sept. 29) when he turned 40 and again when he turned 50, and they might have done the same this year. "Only Bill said let's go when the tulips are in bloom this time, so we went last spring," his wife said. "We were so happy that we did 3/8– it was beautiful."

Dr. Vanderyt decided to stay in the Atlanta area after graduation from Emory University Medical School, choosing to specialize in sports medicine.

"Bill was a consummate professional with an unblemished record at DeKalb and Decatur hospitals," said Dr. William S. Knapp of Sandy Springs, a longtime friend. "He must have done thousands of joint replacements, yet he only performed surgery when his patients required it. Often, though, he would do difficult operations for patients who had been turned away by other surgeons."

Dr. Freddy Achecar of Atlanta, an orthopedist partner, called Dr. Vanderyt a great role model for other doctors. "He never compromised his high standards or his integrity. Nor did he shy away from difficult situations, difficult patients or difficult colleagues," he said.

Speaking as an orthopedics sales representative who provides implant devices to many surgeons in this area, Steve Kendrick of Decatur said, "No doctor I have ever worked with was more careful or more precise than Bill Vanderyt."

Dr. Vanderyt was a single-digit-handicap golfer and won several Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association championships, but the diversion to which he gave nearly three decades of sweat and devotion was moving tons of earth and stone.

"We bought our place in 1981, an old stone house and 13 acres of what was once farmland. It was a property in total disrepair." said Mrs. Vanderyt.

In 1982 Dr. Vanderyt acquired a tractor to relandscape the grounds. "After a hard week at the hospital, Bill enjoyed a weekend of moving dirt, rebuilding stone walls and creating garden beds," his wife said. "He had no previous experience with a tractor, but it became his toy. He loved it."

Survivors include two sons, Kurt Vanderyt of Tulsa, Okla., and Peter Vanderyt of Decatur; a daughter, Jenna Tebbs of Clarksville, Tenn.; a brother, Gerald Vanderyt of Akron, Ohio; and two grandchildren.