Obituary for
Philip Charles Larkin MD
Dr. Philip C. Larkin of White Plains NY, son, husband, father, great friend, respected physician and grandfather, died on August 19th following a short illness at the age of 94. Dr. Larkin made White Plains his home after a childhood spent in Springfield, MA.
Dr. Larkin was a beloved force of nature with an indomitable spirit. He combined lifelong loves of his family, the practice of medicine, competitive sports, the natural world, and above all a good discussion about politics, ideas, and the future of mankind. He treasured observing and extolling to his children the wonder of “the sun, the moon, and the stars”. Dr. Larkin was a man of strong values who never compromised in the face of injustice. He taught his children a love of the ocean through the family’s Boston Whaler, which at 16’ 7”, was a truly luxurious vessel of the high seas. The nine family members were inveterate, original “road trippers” exploring the US in the comfort of the Battlewagon. He devoured the NY Times daily and loved the intricacies of baseball (such as the infield fly rule). He had a lifelong love of poetry and music. His seventeen grandchildren all knew him as an infinitely interesting, curious, involved, fun-loving and passionate presence and will be sorely missed.
He practiced urology in White Plains for close to 50 years. Dr. Larkin was known throughout the medical community as a brilliant practitioner and patient advocate. He was a skilled surgeon as well as a compassionate physician. He was a founding partner of Westchester Urological Associates. Among his devoted patients were Alexander Calder, Marcel Duchamp, Frank McGee, and Chic Young.
Dr. Larkin was born in Springfield, MA on July 4th, 1923, to Edward William Larkin and Jesse Henrietta Spencer. His siblings included Edward William Larkin Jr., who was killed in action in the Pacific on October 19th, 1944. His three sisters were Mary, Ann, and Barbara. He attended and was a (no-hitter) pitcher for Cathedral High School in Springfield, and for the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester MA (graduating as part of the class of 1945). He was a Douglas Dauntless pilot in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1945. Dr. Larkin graduated from Tufts University Medical School with honors in 1950. He interned at Kings County Hospital where he met his future wife, Dr. Aimee Diefenbach. They raised seven children together. He was preceded in death by his wife and beloved son Matthew Christian. He is survived by Edward William (Jean), Peter Charles (Barb Power), Timothy James (Randi), Aimee Lisa (Carl Sheldon), Andrew John (Denise), and Melissa Beth (Tripp Hughes), and seventeen grandchildren; Kyle, Connor, Elizabeth, Spencer, Kaitlin, Alexandra, Natalie, Aimee Samantha, Maura, Edward, William, Nicole, Emma, Harry, Peter, Jack and Tucker.
Big D: gone but never forgotten.
Visitation will be Tuesday August 22nd from 4 to 8 pm. A Mass Of Christian Burial will be on Wednesday August 23rd at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 920 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the College of the Holy Cross.
