George R. Constable MD

George Robert Constable, MD (1935- 2016) Dr. George Robert "Bob" Constable, respected physician, loving father, husband and friend, died peacefully at home on December 22, 2016. He was a Philadelphia native and longtime resident of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his four children: Kathy Constable Idler (Jeff), Robert Scott Constable (Ene Osteraas), Jeffrey Todd Constable (Michelle) and Kristen Constable Rodger (Larry); as well as his brother, Richard Alan Constable, and his eight grandchildren who knew him lovingly as Pop Pop. Bob grew up in a row home on Knorr Street in Northeast Philadelphia. He graduated from Central High School and Magna Cum Laude from Ursinus College in 1956. At Ursinus, Bob pledged with the Beta Sigma Lambda fraternity, and he remained close with many of his college friends and fraternity brothers throughout his life. It was at Ursinus that he met the late Joan Martin Constable. Bob and Joan married in 1959, and the following year Bob graduated from Jefferson Medical College. As a physician, Dr. Constable completed his internship at Lankenau Hospital and then served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, where he was the Medical Director of Boston Army Base from 1961 to 1963. He returned to Philadelphia to complete his residency and Fellowship in Internal Medicine at Lankenau and Jefferson Medical College. Dr. Constable later spent six years as Assistant Medical Director in the Student Health Service of the University of Pennsylvania, and three years as the Medical Director of Saunders House. In 2002, he was appointed to the Distinguished Emeritus Medical Staff in the Department of Medicine of Main Line Health. Dr. Constable will be most remembered for the 35 years he spent as a Delaware County-based private practitioner of Internal Medicine. He was known as a loyal and "old fashioned" family doctor, with a gift for diagnostics. Dr. Constable combined a deep knowledge of the human body with an intuitive grasp of psychology and prodigious powers of observation. He maintained his patients' health over generations through one-on-one consultation and home visits. His patients would often bring him gifts during the holidays. The Constable children grew up appreciating Mrs. DeLosso's meatballs and, at Christmastime, homemade pizelles, manicotti, wine and liqueurs. Outside of his professional life, Dr. Constable was devoted to the pursuits of his children and grandchildren. He was a gifted little league baseball coach in Radnor Wayne Little League (1972-1979 and 2007-2015), and a dedicated fan and prolific audience member of hundreds of athletic contests, horse shows, dance recitals, school plays and concerts. Within the confines of Little League, Dr. Constable's consistent wisdom and faith in the sport of baseball gave him a knack for knitting together successful teams from inexperienced and sometimes intimidated children of varying talent levels. Dr. Constable also spent much of his time in Brigantine, New Jersey, his 'spiritual homeland'. Since early childhood, Bob spent every summer of his life in Brigantine, where he served as lifeguard for several seasons as a teenager. Relatives and friends are invited to an open house celebration of Bob's life on Monday, January 16, 2017 between the hours of 11:30am and 3pm, at Terrain, 914 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA 19342, 610-459-2400. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Bob's name to The HomeCare & Hospice Foundation of Main Line Health, or to Radnor Wayne Little League, or to the charity of your choice.