Donate In Memory of Philip Ehret

      

Philip Ehret passed on to his next world on February 10, 2025 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he graduated from Boston Latin School, Dartmouth College, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and served the community of Manchester Center, Vermont as a dentist until his retirement in 2013.

In Haiti, Phil, with the assistance of his wife Anne, provided much needed dental care for students and staff at NPH’s St. Helene orphanage and St. Damien Pediatric Hospital near Port-au-Prince. He and Anne served for typically two weeks each year from 2004 until Parkinson’s Disease precluded him from continuing in 2014. These weeks spent in Haiti were life-changing and life-enriching for both Phil and Anne. They felt truly blessed to have had the privilege of working with the devoted volunteers and staff, and the strong and resilient people of Haiti.

Phil was also active in Rotary International’s Youth Exchange Program. He and Anne hosted twenty exchange students. He counseled many more, local and abroad, sharing in their joys, aha moments, and bumps in the road– and then visited and kept in touch with them throughout their lives. He appreciated and loved the diversity in all people and he embraced differences with interest and open arms.

Phil’s last days were blessed with a peaceful countenance as he was surrounded with upbeat voices of loving family and friends present for days as well as beautiful music from a hospice a cappella group. He is survived by his wife Anne, son Gordon (Amanda), grandchildren Willem and Margaret, brother Stephen, and many beloved friends and family.

NPH USA extends their deepest condolences to Anne and their entire family. Memorial donations in Phil’s name may be made to NPH USA to support St. Damien Pediatric Hospital’s dental program using the form below.

Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) means “Our Little Brothers and Sisters” in Spanish. Founded in 1954 by Father William Wasson, NPH has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of the most vulnerable children and young adults, providing a nurturing family environment, education, health care, and vocational and life skills training. NPH USA helps children in Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru achieve their full potential, becoming productive, caring leaders in their communities and breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. NPH also fills a vital, lifesaving role with its operation of St. Damien Pediatric Hospital, the only hospital wholly dedicated to pediatric and high-risk maternity care in Haiti, and the only Haitian hospital equipped to provide pediatric oncology care.