Obituary of Gerald E. Bisbee Jr.

Gerald (Gary) E. Bisbee Jr., 80, of New Canaan, CT, passed away on March 10, 2023, with his family by his side. He was born on July 12, 1942, in Waterloo, Iowa, to the late Gerald and Maxine Bisbee. In 1970, he married Linda Ude and together they shared an academic journey, earning Gary an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School and a PhD from Yale University.  Healthcare became his area of expertise.

Gary’s career included faculty positions at Yale and Northwestern universities and leadership roles at a number of healthcare companies. He co-founded APACHE Medical Systems, and served on the board of the Cerner Corporation for over 30 years. In 1998, he co-founded the Health Management Academy, whose mission was to convene executives of the largest healthcare systems across the United States to share best practices. The Academy, under Gary’s guidance, produced many of today’s most important healthcare leaders. Most recently, he was the founder of ThinkMedium, a modern day think tank that promotes ideas at the intersection of healthcare strategy, leadership and practice. He also wrote a widely distributed weekly “Bisbee Brief.” He had a deep respect for education and took pride in mentoring young people.  

Gary loved life and had many passions. He was a singer and proudly sang the U.S. and Canadian national anthems at a Chicago Blackhawks game. He was a sports fan and an avid cyclist, racing across several states and in France, and doing 15 relay triathlons with his children in Washington DC and New York City.  He was disciplined in his life, and exercised daily. No workout; no dinner!

Of all the roles he played, he most enjoyed being a devoted father and grandfather  —  a  role he considered his proudest achievement. Spending time with his three grandchildren was paramount. On weekends he could be found reading to “the kids”, playing on the swingset, eating ice cream, and playing hide-and-seek with them. He celebrated family and togetherness with his loved ones for a week on Nantucket every summer.  Good times always prevailed.

He is survived by his wife Linda of New Canaan, CT, son Gary Bisbee III (Carey) of Riverside, CT, and daughter Katie Bisbee, of New Canaan, CT, and grandchildren Gary IV, Noelle and Lucy. 

A memorial service will be planned in the future.  In the meantime, donations in Gary’s honor may be sent to https://www.donorschoose.org/gary-bisbee-jr (a nonprofit that supports children and public school teachers across the U.S.).