Vicksburg pediatrician Dr. Gordon Sluis honored with a ‘secret’ parade Wednesday

A simple forehead-to-forehead touch can go a long way in a sick child’s mind, and for more than 37 years and 4 months it has been the trademark for Vicksburg pediatrician Dr. Gordon Sluis. His patients will remember it now that he’s retiring on Wednesday, April 29.

“It’s been sweet to see how much his patients love it, and as people are sharing their memories of him the first thing people say is, ‘I remember his forehead touch,’” said Emily Sluis Hendrix, Gordon Sluis’ daughter.

The New Jersey native made his way to the River City in 1978 for a pediatric rotation at Cary Christian Center in Cary, Miss. The facility, whose mission is to break the cycle of poverty, is located about 45 minutes south of Vicksburg.

Completing this rotation, he went back above the Mason-Dixon Line to continue his education. Sluis attended medical school at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md. He went on to complete his residency at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pa. Sluis then made Vicksburg his forever home in the early ’80s.

If you’ve been to Sluis’ office in the past 20 years, you probably noticed pictures of his patients from the time they were babies to graduating from high school. Hendrix said he also has a few wedding photos of former patients.

Hendrix said there is one special talent Sluis has that is even better than the pictures.

“He remembers all the patients’ names,” she said. “It’s such a testament to how much he cares for his patients to simply remember their name.”

Sluis began his practice at the Vicksburg Street Clinic off of Grove Street. The clinic was later moved beside Merit Health River Region Hospital.

Sluis has been active in the community through his church, Westminster Presbyterian, and in serving in various roles on the Center for Pregnancy Center board of directors. Hendrix said he also served on a state medical board that awards scholarship opportunities to future doctors and nurses. In all his accomplishments, Hendrix said he enjoys the work and responsibility of serving on various boards, but he does not care for “big titles and the spotlight.”

“He is very modest,” she said. “You’d never assume he was a doctor if you did not already know.”

In his retirement, Sluis plans to enjoy traveling with his wife, Jennifer, but Hendrix and her siblings, Hannah and Daniel, believe his grandchildren will have a huge part in his retirement. Sluis has three grandchildren in Chattanooga, Tenn., one in Birmingham, Ala., and one on the way here in Vicksburg.

If Dr. Sluis has touched your life in the last 37 years, you’re invited to join in on a “secret” parade today, Wednesday, April 29, at 1 p.m. at Merit Health River Region to wish Dr. Sluis a happy retirement. Hendrix encourages you to come and bring a card with your fondest memory of Sluis or even a homemade drawing from his younger patients.

“My dad would love letters or even pictures from his kids,” Hendrix said. “His patients mean so much to him.”

Hendrix said she has been looking through some memories people have already sent.

“It’s fun to see in the memories how much he really cares for his patients and goes above and beyond for them,” she said.