Jean-Maurice Poitras, Jr., MD

Yorktown, VA – Jean-Maurice Poitras, Jr., MD, of Yorktown, VA, passed away on Monday, May 10, 2021.
Maurice packed a lot of living into a short life. He had varied interests and an adventurous spirit. He was born in Chelsea, MA in 1954. A Navy ‘brat’, his family lived in Naples, Italy for four years where the family frequently camped and traveled throughout Europe. Time in Italy instilled several values in Maurice: a disdain for seafood markets, a love of all European culture, a thirst for travel, and an appreciation for a glass of wine at an outdoor cafe.
Maurice was an accomplished athlete and was recognized as an Honorable Mention All American swimmer in high school. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1977 and later served as a Marine Corps AH-1 Cobra pilot, piloting over 100 armed contingency sorties in the Persian Gulf during the Iran/Iraq conflict in the late 1980’s. Throughout those years, he participated in several triathlons, placing first in the swims, never catching up in the biking and runs, but nonetheless finishing.
At the age of 35 he enrolled in medical school, first studying at St. George’s University in Grenada. Maurice embraced the Grenadian culture and explored the island from top to bottom, including everything from hiking remote waterfalls to participating in “Hash Hound Harrier” runs. He graduated from University of Maryland Medical School in 1993 and studied infectious diseases in Cairo, Egypt where again, no stone was left unturned. He completed his residency training at University of Maryland and the Johns Hopkins/Sinai Hospital Program in Internal Medicine. Not long after, Maurice established an internal medicine practice and a rural health clinic in Carbon County, Utah. Always a fan of unusual vehicles, he bought a 1976 Blue Bird RV and he and his family explored national and state parks across the country, along with one harrowing trip to Mexico. But the fun didn’t stop there. He had a classic steam boat and multiple military surplus vehicles, including a 5-ton wrecker, a deuce and a half, a Unimog, and a Humvee. Luckily, one could pull the other out of a tight situation.
After six years in Utah, the family moved to Yorktown, VA to be closer to family and Maurice joined the internal medicine hospitalist group at Riverside Regional Medical Center. Maurice traded the RV for a trawler and the family explored the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Maurice, a creative spirit always documented every event, large or small, in photos or video. A unique individual and a respected physician, he made an impact on everyone he met. He will be dearly missed by family and friends.
Maurice was preceded in death by his parents, Jean-Maurice and Helen Murray Poitras and a brother, Michael. He is survived by his wife, Beth; three children: Paul (Mariasole) of Suzhou, China, Emma and Gabe of Yorktown, VA; two sisters: Diane Fritsche of Baltimore, MD and Micheline Blackmon of Ellenton, FL; and a brother, Denis of Newport News, VA; as well as many loving family members. Visitation is scheduled at Amory Funeral Home, 410 Grafton Drive, Grafton, VA on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Lackey Clinic, Mail to: Lackey Clinic, Attn: Resource Development Office 1620 Old Williamsburg Road Yorktown, VA 23690 or lackeyclinic.org/en/giving/