David Jetmore on Work & Purpose
April 28, 2026
In this conversation, David reflects on work and purpose across a lifetime, from childhood chores on a farm to decades as a surgeon and an active retirement. He considers what it means to feel truly useful, the satisfaction of developing skills, and the instinct to restore what’s broken or neglected. Together, we explore the discipline of practice, the value of perseverance, and the deeper fulfillment that comes from doing something well, especially when it matters most.
“I thought, my God in heaven, this guy needs to have a tube, a tracheostomy, and I don’t think I can do that without killing him. Anyway, I got down there, found the constriction, put a tracheostomy in below that. And, you know, I’m sure it saved that guy’s life. Now, there are other ear, nose and throat doctors that could have done the same thing, but I did it. And so, I think that’s probably the epitome of work that I’ve done that was the most useful.” (David, 2: 46)
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David Jetmore is a retired physician and one of the founding members of Richmond Neighborhood Restoration in Indiana. He has had a lifelong interest in historic preservation and has personally restored several historic Richmond properties as well as the 220-year-old farmhouse where he lives with his wife, Cheri.
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