Kingsbury Heiple, M.D.

         Kingsbury G. Heiple, former chair of the Department of Orthopaedics at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine and University Hospitals (UH) and an internationally known researcher and clinician in orthopedics, died on Sunday, March 13, 2016 of a cerebral aneurysm at the University Hospital Case Medical Center in Cleveland. He was 88 years old.

         Dr. Heiple’s work achieved excellence in clinical care, teaching, and research. With his superb technical skill and prodigious intellect, he was considered one of the finest orthopedic surgeons to be found. He was deeply involved in the training of over 200 orthopedic residents at CWRU/UH. His research, which was funded continuously by the National Institutes of Health from 1959 to 1985, resulted in a large number of original research papers and many book chapters.

         In 1985 the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons awarded Dr. Heiple the Kappa Delta Award, the most prestigious award for orthopedic research. In 1993 the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine awarded him their Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Heiple was a Director of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery from 1979 to 1985 and served as its President from 1984 to 1985. He also was an Associate Editor for the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery from 1969 to 1980.

         Dr. Heiple grew up in Peoria, Illinois and served in the United States Navy during World War II. He later graduated from the University of Chicago School of Medicine, and then he went to CWRU/UH for his orthopedics residency and never left. He married his first wife, Helen Ilo Haberle, with whom he had four children, Kingsbury G. Heiple II, Dr. Jeanne Heiple, Holly Heiple and Dr. Caroline Sokol. They were married for 39 years until her death in 1989, after which he was then happily married to Nancy Wallace Gaddis for 25 years.

         When Dr. Heiple retired from CWRU/UH and the rigors and intellectual pleasures of orthopedics he focused his attention on two other engagements that called on his capacity for precise planning and exquisite timing: woodturning and skeet shooting. He had been involved in each of these pastimes for years, but when he had more time in retirement he devoted great attention to each and achieved the kind of renown he had previously achieved in medicine. Dr. Heiple became a central figure in the North Coast Woodturners and wrote many articles for turning magazines. He also was a columnist for the monthly Skeet Magazine and he was elected a Member of the National Skeet Association Hall of Fame.

         Along with his wife and children, Dr. Heiple leaves his childrens’ spouses Holly Frasier Heiple and Joseph Sokol and four grandchildren, Cindy Heiple, Kyle Dougherty, Jacob Dougherty, and Zachary Dougherty. He also leaves three stepchildren and their wives, David and Kathy Gaddis, William and Jenny Gaddis and Robert and Mary Gaddis, as well as six step-grandchildren, Stephen, Cory, Hillary, Amanda, Ryan and Danny.

         Memorial services will be held at the Amasa Stone Chapel, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106 on Sunday, May 1st at 3 pm. A funeral service will be held this summer at Glendale Cemetery, Washington, IL.