Dwight Herschell Short, II, M.D., age 69, of Pass Christian passed away peacefully Friday, October 31, 2008.

D.H., as he like to be called, was born in Brooklyn, New York and resided in Cincinnati, Ohio until he left to pursue his medical profession. He graduated from Cincinnati Country Day School. Dr. Short attended Yale University and earned his B.S. from the University of Cincinnati. His M.D. was granted by the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Internship-Cincinnati General Hospital, Residency-Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine, Augusta, Georgia and later received his MBA at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Dr. Short was on staff at Garden Park Medical Center, Hancock Medical Center and Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and was a Clinical Associate Professor at Tulane Medical Center. He kept medical licenses in Mississippi, Louisiana, Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky and Florida. Dr. Short was a member of Mississippi State Medical Association, Mississippi State Medical Association Alliance and Legislative Counselor for District 8, a member of the American Medical Association, American Medical Association Alliance, Southern Medical Association, Treasurer for Mississippi Coastal Trauma Care Region, current President of Coast Counties Medical Society and an American College of Angiology, Fellow.

He was recently appointed to the Board of the Mississippi Physicians Care Network. During his medical career, Dr. Short was responsible for writing numerous major articles for a multitude of medical and scientific journals and enjoyed public speaking on the subject of cardiovascular health. His specialty of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery led him to the Gulf Coast to Memorial Hospital to assist with the institution of open heart services and the establishment of Vascular Laboratories at Garden Park, Gulf Coast Community Hospital, Hancock Medical Center, and Memorial Hospital -Gulfport.

Dr. Short was a Commander, Medical Core, United States Navy Reserve. Life member, Naval Reserve Association. D.H. bred purebred West Highland White Terriers and was very proud of his numerous Champions. He was the President of the Mississippi Coast German Shepherd Dog Club, Treasurer of the Singing River Kennel Club, Board Officer and Member of the Mobile Kennel Club and Treasurer of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Toy Bread Club. He was Founder of the Gulf Coast Search and Rescue Foundation.

For the last twenty-eight years D.H. resided in Pass Christian, He loved being on the Gulf Coast and the beauty of the historical homes in Pass Christian. He was a Life Member and Treasurer of the Pass Christian Historical Society, a member of the Pass Christian Chamber of Commerce, Pass Christian Lighthouse Society, past Chairman, Board of Trustees, Coast Episcopal Schools, served on Harrison County's Unmet Needs Task Force and was the Pass Christian Citizen of the Year for 2006. Dr. Short was nominated for the 2007 SunHerald Top 10 Community Leaders.

D.H. served as President of the Rotary Club of Pass Christian for three terms and was a Paul Harris Fellow, Grants Chairman for Rotary District 6840. He received the Rotary International Service above Self Award 2006-2007. Since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, D.H. focused his life and service to the Pass Christian Rotary and the City of Pass Christian. He was intimately involved with Post Katrina Disaster Recovery and Special Projects.

D.H. organized and coordinated a well developed relief plan that focused first on low income needy residents home rebuilding program and seven other major projects in the community. His passion was the rebuilding of Pass Christian after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. D.H. demonstrated "service above self" by reaching out and being the community's spokesperson to Rotary Clubs throughout the United States and even Canada and Jamaica.

He visited 150 Rotary Clubs in 15 states and 2 countries at his own expense on behalf of the unmet needs of his community following Hurricane Katrina. D.H. was also Founder and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Augusta Country Day School, Augusta, Georgia. Dr. Short was preceded in death by his father, Dwight Herschell Short, Sr.

He is survived by his mother, Lola Jaunita Short of Cincinnati, Ohio, his wife Katherine Grace Short, two daughters, Marjorie Lawrence Sibert of Newport News, Virginia and Demetria Knight Short of Bay St. Louis, four step-children, Christopher William Crawford of Pascagoula, Grace (Michael) Kelly of Utah, Manning John Wilks of Pascagoula and Kamann Ellen Kay of Michigan, three grandchildren, Garrett Snyder, Elizabeth Snyder and Anne Lise` Sibert, four step-grandchildren, Ty (Courtnay) Crawford, William Clayton, A. J. Kay and Avary Kay, two step great-grandchildren, Benjamin and Sadie Clayton, family companion, Norma Combs and devoted office assistant, Dawn Dauro Necessary.

A memorial service took place on Saturday, November 8, 2008, at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 125 Church Ave., Pass Christian, MS.  (Photo taken July 2009)  Donations can be sent to:

Rotary Club of Pass Christian, Disaster Fund-Home Building

P.O. Box 88

Pass Christian, MS 39571