James Russell Stormont, M.D., born February 8, 1926, in LaCrosse, Wisconsin to Norman and Edna Stormont. On graduating from LaCrosse Central High School at age 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served during World War II as a Navy Corpsman, being honorably discharged in 1946. He attended UW-Madison and then George Washington University in Washington D.C., where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree with distinction in 1954.
Dr. Stormont began post-graduate training in Saint Paul, Minnesota and then joined the Mayo Clinic in 1955 as a fellow in the internal medicine department. While at Mayo, he received the prestigious Edward John Noble Foundation award for international leadership. He left Mayo in 1959 to join the Monroe Clinic. He practiced as an internal medicine specialist in Monroe from 1959 until his retirement in 2012, an extraordinary 52 years. During his tenure, he saw medical care shift from house calls and hospital care to high-tech, computerized treatment.
Dr. Stormont was chair of the Monroe Clinic Executive Committee for nine years, navigating through some of the turbulent changes that have occurred in medical care. He also served as the Director of the Monroe Clinic Foundation from 1983 to 1990. He thrived in the collegial working relationship that he had with his clinic partners-truly, he was a doctor’s doctor-but always placed patient care ahead of all else. He sincerely enjoyed the personal relationships with his patients and their families.
He founded the Monroe Clinic’s sports medicine program and volunteered at countless area athletic events as the team doctor. He was also on the founding board of the Monroe YMCA. He enjoyed sports of all kinds and even found occasional time to duck hunt on the Mississippi River. He was Skip of the 1981 team that won the International Medical Curling Bonspiel championship. In 1993, he was honored by the Monroe Jaycees as Distinguished Citizen of the year. A voracious reader, he continued to keep current in medical literature throughout his career and even in retirement. Grandpa Jim, as his 14 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren call him, has set a high standard of hard work and dedication to patients and family. He has always been a rock for people to lean on.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy (Pulver) of Monroe; and their six children: Dr. Daniel (Dr. Annette), Monroe, WI, Robert (Libby), Hartland, WI, Dr. John (Joleen), Albuquerque, NM, Dr. Thomas (Dorothy), Stillwater, MN, Michael (Nella), Chicago, IL, Elizabeth (Michael), Fitchburg, WI. Proud grandfather to Ian, Alyssa, Gavin, Alex, Ellen, James, Rachel, Tracy, Nathan, Joe, Sheila, Maureen, Sarah, and Anna. Proud great grandfather to James, Isabel, Weller, Linden, Charlie, Rain, Annie, Adam, Connor, Ian, John, Quinn, and Shae. He was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Tulloch Stormont, M.D
Jim’s children acknowledge the extraordinary devotion, loyalty, and loving care from his wife, Nancy. The family would also like to thank the caregivers from Joyce Ethridge Home Care, with a special thanks to Terry.
While burial will be private, the family will hold a celebration of life on Saturday, August 26th (pending Monroe location and time). In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Green County Family YMCA capital campaign or to the Green County Humane Society in honor of his loyal canine companion, Lola. Newcomer Funeral Home, Monroe, is assisting the family. Online condolences may be shared at www.newcomerfuneralhome.net
