Charles Francis Peterno M.D.

Charles Francis Paterno, MD, F.A.C.S. Dr. Charles F. Paterno passed away Thursday, February 11, at his home in Vero Beach, Florida. Born June 8, 1919 in Brooklyn, NY, he attended St. Francis Preparatory School, graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1940 and obtained his medical degree from the Long Island College of Medicine, NY. Dr. Paterno received surgical training in each field of surgery during his residences, and was appointed Chief Surgical Resident at Metropolitan Hospital and Flower Fifth Avenue Hospitals in New York. He received his Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1951. It was at Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital where he met his future wife, Kathleen McDonald, RN. They were married for 59 years and raised nine children. He later described his wife, whom he called Kay, as "the person I most admire." As a Captain in the US Army, during the Korean War, Dr. Paterno helped establish a MASH-type unit in California for wounded soldiers. After an honorable discharge, he returned to his roots on the East Coast, setting up practice in Red Bank, New Jersey, where he served as a general surgeon on the staff of Monmouth Medical Center and Riverview Hospital. He was later elected Director of Surgery and President of the Medical Board at Riverview Hospital, where he practiced medicine for 34 years. Dr. Paterno, well known for his keen sense of humor, was a long time resident of Rumson, New Jersey, along with his wife and children. Active in the community, he served on the Rumson City Council and was later elected Mayor, a position he proudly held for almost a decade. In 1989 the local paper voted Paterno "the most popular Mayor in Monmouth County." He and his family are members of Vero Beach County Club and Holy Cross Catholic Church in Vero Beach and former members of Holy Cross Catholic Church, Rumson Country Club and Sea Bright Beach Club in New Jersey. Dr. Paterno was also an avid alumnus of his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, and was awarded the "Man of the Year Award" in 1969 by the Notre Dame Club of the Jersey Shore. Retiring to Vero Beach, Florida in 1989, Dr. Paterno continued his community service. He was a member of the Indian Trails Architectural Board and an auxilian at Indian River Memorial Hospital, where he was appointed to the Executive Committee and elected the first male President of the auxiliary. Affectionately called "Papa Doc" by his 23 grandchildren, Dr. Paterno is survived by his wife, Kay, and his nine children and their spouses: Patricia (Mark) Flanagan, Great Falls, VA; Kathleen (Dan) Knise, McLean, VA; Carla (James) Annese, Fanwood, NJ; Charles (Jacquelyn) Paterno, Chapel Hill, NC; Mary (Douglas) Schmidt, Farmingdale, NJ; William (Renee) Paterno, Shrewsbury, NJ; Elizabeth (David) Russell, Reston, VA; Christopher (Anne) Paterno, Marina del Rey, CA and Anne Marie (Brian) Kilgallon, Arlington, VA. A visitation will be held Friday, February 19 from 5-7 PM at the Strunk Funeral Home, 916 17th Street, Vero Beach, FL. A celebratory funeral Mass will be held at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Rumson, NJ, in the Spring. In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted for the Dr. Charles F. Paterno Memorial Fund, The University of Notre Dame, 1100 Grace Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 or the Indian River Medical Center Auxiliary, 1000 36th St. Vero Beach, FL 32960 Attn: Gloria Bradley. Paid Obituary