Sarnia chiropractor retiring after nearly 50 years

After nearly five decades as a chiropractor, Johnny Clubb says it’s time to retire.

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The 78-year-old recalls a storied career.

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Among the highlights, he remembers receiving a salute from police personnel for treating officers without charge, having Elvis Presley’s stepbrother Rick Stanley make a religious dedication in the 1990s at one of Clubb’s offices — he’s moved office locations eight times, he said — and hosting the motivational television program You Can Make It.

Clubb said it aired for three or four years about 20 years ago and featured local community members.

“He’s a pillar in this community,” said fellow chiropractor Peter Miller, who said he was inspired to join the profession after Clubb helped him with a shoulder problem, when Miller was a teenager.

“If you mention his name, everyone knows who he is,” Miller said.

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“Fifty years in practice, that’s a long time.”

Clubb, who is Christian and said he plans to do “chiropractic missionary work” somewhere in Central America once he’s retired, credits his wife Gloria as “the pillar” of his success.

The Northern Collegiate grad who received his doctorate of chiropractic from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1974, said he also regularly treated people without charge, or at lesser charge, who were in need.

“I don’t advertise that. I do that unto God.” he said.

Clubb would also make house calls and give out his phone number for patients, Miller said, calling him passionately.

Saying good-bye to his patients, Clubb said, has made him feel honored.

He’s transferring his caseload to Don Guerette as of Dec. 22, when he retires.

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Clubb said he initially had aimed to be a dentist or a lawyer, but was inspired to pursue a career as a chiropractor after he benefited from one in the aftermath of a car accident.

His eye was “stabbed out” when he was a kid, who affected his vision and closed the door to dentistry, he said, noting he now has a prosthetic.

Finding subjects such as chemistry and pathology were associated with chiropractic work, he was inspired to go that route, he said.

Along with providing free chiropractic work somewhere in Central America, Clubb said he’s also planning to spend time in retirement in Texas writing a book on “motivational health.”

The great-grandfather of one who also spent three or four years about a decade ago providing care to the Sarnia Sturgeon football team, where his grandson played, said he’s also a certified life coach.

“I may do some counseling,” he said.

Volunteering with local organizations is also a possibility, he said.

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