Dr. Frank Gilly and Susan Lisowski Sloan over many years have brought new meaning to healthcare in Warren County, and for their contributions in the field they will be inducted into the Warren County Hall of Fame in November.

The annual event, presented by the Warren County Community College Foundation, will take place at Hawk Pointe Golf Club in Washington Township on Saturday Nov. 11. 

In addition to Dr. Gilly and Sloan, this year’s honorees include Attorney Michael Lavery, Matthew Czigler, owner of Czig Meister Brewing in Hackettstown, and Jim Kelsey, owner of Partac Peat Corp in Great Meadows, which supplies clay for infields and outfields for major and minor league ballparks around the country Also chosen posthumously were Harry Brown (Volunteer/Non-Profit Supporter) and Tiffani Warren (Education/Volunteer/Non-Profit Supporter). 

Dr. Frank Gilly is a family physician and geriatrician with a 37 year history of service to the people of Washington and Warren County.

He is a native New Jerseyan, raised in the town of Bound Brook. He attended Johns Hopkins University, graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and after 2 undergraduate years, was accepted into the John Hopkins School of Medicine at the age of 19. 

Dr. Gilly completed his residency in Family Medicine at the University of Iowa and returned to New Jersey, joining the Warren Hills Health Center with Dr. Hampton, Dr. Bartolini, and Dr. Goodwin (a 2018 HOF honoree). He would spend his entire career with the same practice .

At the start, Frank performed the full spectrum of family practice including obstetrics and newborn care for the first 8 years in practice. Spending extra time with older patients, they gravitated to his practice and he began to regard geriatrics as his calling. House calls became routine: Fridays after office hours became house call days, often 4 or 5 in an evening.

“I was drawn to geriatrics,” said Dr. Gilly. “I still am and am a strong advocate on behalf of seniors.”

Dr. Gilly was also active at Warren Hospital (now St. Luke’s-Warren). He served terms as Department Chairman of Family Practice, President of the Medical Staff, Chairman of the Medical Executive Committee, and Credentials Committee. Board-Certified in Family Medicine and Geriatrics, he was also certified in medical ethics and served as co-chair of the hospital Bioethics Committee for 25 years (his co-chair was Anne Grogan, 2019 HOF honoree). He was founder and chair of the hospital’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) for clinical trials. He also held the position of Chief Medical Officer at the hospital for 14 years. After retiring from this position, he was Medical Director of the Geriatrics Department for 7 years. During his tenure, he helped initiate a Memory Clinic for cognitive disorders and started a house call service for Warren County which could not keep up with demand.

Dr. Gilly was on the Board of the Warren County Unit of the American Cancer society for 16 years, and served a 5 year term as President. He was Medical Director of Warren Haven, the county nursing home for 25 years. He has been a proud member of the Warren Community College Board of Trustees for 13 years. He currently volunteers with the Catholic Charities Food Pantry in Phillipsburg and is on the Advisory Council of the County Office on Aging and Disability. Dr. Gilly preaches the gospel of geriatrics to anyone who will listen and frequently gives talks on elder issues to senior groups.

In the heart of Warren County, amid the rolling landscapes and serene beauty of her hometown, Susan Lisowski Sloan’s remarkable journey began. Born and raised in this tranquil region, Sloan’s life would evolve into a tapestry of adventures that would take her to the far corners of the globe, crafting a biography that reads like a thrilling novel.

Her intellectual pursuits mirrored her adventures. Leaving her New Jersey roots behind, she embarked on a quest for knowledge at Utah State University, dedicating herself to the study of wildlife conservation. Her academic path was as varied as her travels, culminating in degrees in Humanities and History. Later, her passion for nursing led her back to New Jersey, for as she says, “Nursing is where the jobs are” and she was successful in her quest to become a Registered Nurse.

For over two decades, Sue has been a guiding light for aspiring medical assisting professionals at Warren Community College, where she imparts wisdom to incoming classes and nurtures them through the start of their academic studies. This is underscored by the heartfelt gift of a stethoscope to each graduate, a tangible symbol of her enduring support. She feels it is extremely important for the students to go to their first job in the field prepared with good stethoscopes and a hug.

“Susan is especially interested in helping underserved students,” noted longtime friend and colleague Marianne Van Deursen, Acting President of WCC. “Her heart is as big as gold.”

In her quiet reverence for nature, Sloan embarked on a thirty-year project, penning “Washington’s Birds” for the local publication, The Messenger. Every month, she brought the world of local avian wonders to life, reminding us of the beauty that surrounds us.

Yet, Sloan’s impact extended beyond the natural world. With her late husband Alvin by her side, she ensured the perpetual celebration of the Fourth of July in their beloved Washington, quietly ensuring the necessary funds for “Washington Celebrates America.” Although donations from many families have covered most of the expenses for the celebration, the Sloans have made sure there are always enough funds: from the soap box derby to the amazing parade and stunning fireworks. The Sloans’ contributions transformed ordinary days into extraordinary memories.

In a testament to her unwavering commitment to her community, she served on the board of trustees for Warren Hospital for seven years. Her legacy of caring extended from the skies to the earth, from birds to human hearts. It was here that Sloan was able to use her depth of knowledge and clinical skills as an RN to make valuable contributions to the Board.

Her tale of wanderlust unfurls like a mesmerizing atlas, with Susan Sloan as the intrepid explorer. Having traversed a staggering 88 countries, her life has had no bounds.

The event is open to the public. For advance information on sponsorships or tickets,https://conta.cc/3EZmiMe, or email samir@warren.edu.