Popular allergy doctor passes away at age 82

By: RAYMOND PARTSCH III
Managing Editor

Evangeline Parish has lost one of its most popular family physicians.
Dr. Gardnel “Doc” Sylvester died Saturday at the age of 82 at his home surrounded by loved ones. He was laid to rest at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Ville Platte on Wednesday.
The well-known allegerist practiced medicine for 50 years. Sylvester worked at Savoy Medical Center from 1973 to 1983, and then opened up his own practice in Ville Platte before retiring in 2005.
In an interview with The Gazette in 2005, Sylvester admitted how much he would miss his patients saying, “I enjoyed everyone. My patients are not just patients, they are friends too. I’m going to miss everyone, and I’d like to thank them for coming to see me all these years.”
Following graduating high school in 1948 at the young age of 15, Sylvester went on to study at the Southwestern Louisiana Institute of Liberal and Technical Learning (now known as University of Louisiana-Lafayette), before completing his medical degree in 1956 at the Louisiana Health Sciences Center at New Orleans (LSU).
Following graduation, Sylvester served as an intern for a year at New Orleans Charity Hospital. He went on for his residency at Lafayette Charity Hospital before trying general practice medicine back home in Ville Platte in 1968.
Sylvester quickly turned to studying allergy medicine at LSU Medical School from 1968-70. He then did a fellowship at New Orleans Charity Hospital for two years before moving to Lafayette to practice allergy medicine for three years. Following his stay in Lafayette, Sylvester relocated to Mamou and began his long tenure in Evangeline Parish.
Sylvester leaves behind his wife Doloris Sebastien Sylvester, three children, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren.