The late physician Jon Torgerson is being honored with the creation of an annual continuing education award at North Valley Hospital.

Torgerson, of Columbia Falls, who was an emergency room doctor at North Valley, died this winter while backcountry skiing.

North Valley Hospital and the North Valley Hospital Foundation announced the award on Wednesday saying Torgerson was a “beloved physician known for his deeply inquisitive mind and passion for teaching.”

“Creating an award in honor of Dr. Torgerson through the NVH Foundation is the perfect way to ensure that the medical community can keep his memory alive for years to come,” said Alan Satterlee, executive director of the North Valley Hospital Foundation.

Torgerson, 62, went missing on Feb. 17 while backcountry skiing near the Flower Point area of Big Mountain. Search and rescue workers scoured the area for weeks after his disappearance. His body was found under the snow of a small avalanche on May 12.

The Jon Torgerson Award will be given to a member of the North Valley Hospital community who demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to advancing their own understanding of medicine, or an exceptional dedication to the teaching of others, according to the hospital.

Dr. Jason Cohen, chief medical officer at North Valley Hospital, said in talking with the many people who knew and worked with Torgerson it is clear that he was valued and loved by lots of different people for many reasons.

“However, there was one theme that came up again and again — that Jon was a gifted teacher and lifelong learner,” Cohen said in a release. “The Torgerson award honors this essential part of Jon, and is a recognition of his lasting impact on our lives and community.”

The NVH Foundation is grateful for contributions made to the fund and welcomes community members to honor Torgerson by making a gift to the fund. Gifts can be made online at https://www.krh.org/nvh/foundation/ways-to-give/make-a-gift or by contacting the foundation at 406-863-3630.

Another gift option is to send a check to the NVH Foundation at 1600 Hospital Way, Whitefish, MT, 59937 with an indication that the gift is for the Jon Torgerson Fund.