George A. Ulett, Jr., MD passed away on February 20, in Rockville, MD. He was 97. A long time St. Louis resident, Dr. Ulett was best known as the former director of the Missouri Division of Mental Diseases where, under his leadership, Missouri went from one of the worst-funded mental health programs to a national leader.
He founded what is now the Missouri Institute of Mental Health. He was former medical director of St. Louis City’s Malcom Bliss Hospital. He was instrumental in setting up alcohol and drug abuse treatment programs at city and state hospitals. One of his proudest achievements was to bring racial integration to the city’s mental health system.
He was a professor of psychiatry at Washington University, Directory of Psychiatry at Deaconess Hospital, and was in private practice for over three decades.
Dr. Ulett was a professional magician, an early member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He performed under the stage name of “Dr. Foo Lung Yu”.
He is survived by 3 children, 5 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren.