George Croft, DC
Jack DiBenedetto, DC
Doug Thorp, DC
R. Jay Wipf, RN, BS, DC
Dr. George M. Croft passed away March 1, 1996. Dr. Croft, born in 1920, was a 1947 Logan graduate and had offices in both East St. Louis, Illinois and Troy, Missouri for most of his practicing years. A lifelong member of the ACA, he was also an active member of the Missouri State Chiropractic Association (MSCA), serving as the association's president for two terms and being named their "Chiropractor of the Year" in 1963. Dr. Croft and two of his colleagues were the first chiropractic hospital staff members at Lindell Hospital in St. Louis.
Dr. Croft was one of the first DCs to be actively involved in expanding the bounds of chiropractic scope of practice, advocating in the late '60s the practice of acupuncture as a viable adjunct to chiropractic. He was also well-known for many years for his involvement with the World Posture Queen pageants.
He is survived by his wife, Monica; daughters, Cheryl Sudbrock, Cindy Lane, and Dr. Candace Croft; his sister and brother, Hazel Armer and Gilbert Croft; and eight grandchildren. Any memorial contributions may be made to the Logan College Scholarship Fund.
Practicing in Port Jefferson Station, New York, he was an active member of the New York State Chiropractic Association in which he held many positions, including Suffolk County chapter president. Dr. DiBenedetto was one of the many individuals instrumental in gaining chiropractic licensure in New York State, and was a pioneer in scoliosis detection by chiropractors in public schools.
Dr. DiBenedetto is survived by his wife of 38 years, Rosemary, his two sons, Mark, an internist, and Gary, a chiropractor; a daughter, Mary, who is a doctoral candidate in psychology; two daughters-in-law, Theresa, and Christine Keidel-DiBenedetto, DC; a son-in-law, David; three sisters; and three grandchildren. Donations in his name may be sent to New York Chiropractic College, Attn: Jeff Hoffman, Alumni Office, Box 800, Seneca Falls, NY 13148.
Before coming to Life West, Dr. Thorp served as a U.S. Air Force medic stationed in San Antonio, Texas. He also taught night classes at California State University, Hayward. Voted "Outstanding Instructor of the Year in Clinical Sciences" each year from 1987-1991, Dr. Thorp was also named "Instructor of the Year in Basic Sciences" in 1993.
"You have heard of Doug's talents as a performer," said Life West President Dr. Gerard Clum. "He was no different as a teacher. A course was not a collection of information and facts to Doug. It was a great composition. A classroom was not an architectural form, it was a stage. His instruments on that stage were microscopes and scalpels and autoclaves. He made them sing, he made them come alive."
Dr. Thorp is survived by his daughter, Chelsea, and son, Nathan; his parents, Mildred and Gerald Thorp; and three sisters and two brothers. Donations may be made to the Douglas Thorp Memorial Fund, care of Bay Cities Federal Credit Union, 721 E. 14th St., San Leandro, CA 94577.
In April of 1992 he testified as a member of an ICA/ACA joint panel before the House Military Personnel and Compensation Subcommittee on behalf of H.R. 608, the bill to commission DCs in the military (see the May 22, 1992 issue of "DC"). Dr. Wipf had first hand experience with chiropractic in the military as part of "Operation Desert Storm," providing chiropractic care for hundreds military personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Wipf will be sorely missed by his family, and the profession that he so diligently fought for.
Editor's note: We had the pleasure of printing several articles by Dr. Wipf in "DC." In 1991 we published, "Chiropractic in Saudi Arabia." In the Nov. 6, 1995 issue we published, "Associate Doctor -- Financial Realities: Win-Win or No Deal." Just prior to his untimely death, we accepted for publication Dr. Wipf's article, "Confessions of an Accident Report Solicitor." "DC" will print that article in an upcoming issue.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
