One of the Good Guys in Blue Suits

After serving his ear-nose-throat patients faithfully and well for 47 years, Dr. Cary Stratton retired, but he didn’t stop serving others. He now volunteers in the San Antonio Youth Literacy program, taking second graders under his gentle wing at a low-performing, high-poverty school in the San Antonio Independent School District. “Kids identified as weak in reading skills at the end of first grade often fall behind and are at risk of dropping out,” he says. “I work with two students for the entire school year to help them improve their reading proficiency. And I get to be a granddad figure to kids who often come from dysfunctional families and are hungry for positive adult influence. It is very gratifying.” When he first began mentoring at a remote school in an impoverished neighborhood, he convinced King Antonio XCVI Richard Sparr to visit his school. “It was the most wonderful thing for those children,” he says.

Dr. Stratton also serves on the board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). When he was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes 58 years ago, there was little anyone could do to treat the disease. “We can directly thank the JDRF for the amazing strides we’ve made in managing diabetes – including the invention of devices for self-testing blood sugar and insulin pumps.” With a personal and medical passion for the JDRF’s mission, Dr. Stratton initiated the annual JDRF Golf Tournament seven years ago, which has raised a total half-million dollars.

Shannon Nisbet says, “On his 75th birthday, he raised $75,000 for JDRF ... he is absolutely amazing!”

Typical of Dr. Stratton’s humble nature, his response when we asked if we could honor him with this story, he replied, “No one deserves this ‘good guy in a blue suit’ attention less than I.” We disagree, and we thank him for the work he has been doing as a Texas Cavalier since 1985, and for his exemplary community service.