There have been many great and successful people in the world, and each of us defines them in our own way. Often we picture them as a Founding Father, a wealthy businessman, a religious leader, a military leader or a sports hero. But often we overlook the quiet ones of humility who are our neighbors, friends, co-workers and family members.

John W. Whitefield, DVM, was a great and successful man to those who were fortunate enough to witness his faith, compassion, skilled and dedicated professionalism, enthusiasm and integrity. John left us with, in his own words, "no regrets". John felt there was no better way to define success than to utilize our time on this earth and the abilities we have been given wisely, to love and to be loved, and to always be humbled before our Creator and the beauty of the world that He gave us to enjoy.

For most of his life John never owned a television. He chose instead to be productive. Whether he was helping to set up the radio broadcast system for Word of Life Camps as a young man or learning from carpenters, electricians, plumbers and mechanics, his feet and mind were always moving, and "he never met a tool he could live without!" He rarely used his boundless energy for his own gain because he found he was happiest when serving others. After working his way through school, John entered private practice with tireless selflessness, passion and desire to learn from others so he would always be able to meet the needs of his clients and patients.

As an avid hiker, pilot, photographer and woodworker he fully appreciated and shared not only the beauty of the earth and its wildlife, but more significantly the majesty and omnipotence of the God he so faithfully served.

What went through his mind as he stood atop a wind-whipped foggy Mt. Katahdin in Maine after hiking the 2160+ miles of the Appalachian Trail? Was it the beautiful vistas and magnificent wildlife, thankfulness for divine protection through raging lightening storms and monstrous rattlesnakes, the friendships founded and forged, the private contemplation of one who has walked endlessly and silently for hours, the pain that a 60+ year old body endured gratefully mixed with the appreciation of blessed health? Only John knows.

What compelled John to pilot his own plane? As a fiercely independent man it allowed him the ability to say "where" and "when", and as a man who ALWAYS filled his life's plate it allowed him to use his time more efficiently. It was a natural hobby for a man who loved to be challenged, whether it was flying through visionless, miserable conditions or maintaining calm during a fuel line freeze-up over Iceland during a Trans-Atlantic Air Rally. It provided him with a venue for enjoying the incredible beauty of an orange sunset rising up through the clouds of the New England October landscape from 10,000 feet. It never failed to excite him.

As a photographer and woodworker John was able to share with others his appreciation of the things around him. Recognizing how blessed and fortunate he was to be standing in front of a moose in Baxter Sate Park in Maine or amidst thousands of cooing penguins and snorting elephant seals on a remote Antarctic beach, he loved to use his photographs to share his experiences and enthusiasm. With woodworking, he could turn what, to many, was a rotten old log into an intricate jewelry box or beautiful roll-top desk. He would spend hours in his woodshop lovingly and meticulously using his talented hands to craft things for his family and friends.

So we celebrate a man who lived his life to the fullest and left with no regrets; a successful man, who quietly but profoundly influenced those he knew. John's wish for us is that we finish the race well and that some day we all enjoy eternal peace with "no regrets".