Malcolm McLean Fifield, 86, of Duluth, died Jan. 25, 2008, at Diamond Willow Assisted Living in Proctor. He had practiced medicine in the Twin Ports for thirty-five years. Mac, as he was known to family and friends, was born in 1921 in St. Paul and moved with his family to Mahtomedi in his teen years. He was a gifted athlete, enjoying a variety of sports, and a proud Eagle Scout. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Mac joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1942 and became a decorated fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater. He remained in the Naval and Marine Corps Reserves for years afterward. In 1947 he married Nancy Willard of Mankato, and together they raised seven children. The postwar years were filled with his medical studies at the University of Minnesota, an internship and a residency in urology. Mac and Nancy moved their growing family to Duluth in 1954, where he co-founded the Duluth Urology Group. A dedicated and caring physician, Mac enjoyed helping people tremendously and was well respected by his colleagues. He practiced urology primarily at St. Luke's Hospital and had patients all over the Northland. He was active in many medical groups including the St. Louis County Medical Society, Minnesota Medical Association, American Urological Association, Minnesota Surgical Society and American Board of Urology. The recipient of several professional awards and honors, he was also a clinical professor of medicine at UMD. Mac was a man of many interests. Chief among these was ice hockey: he was an ardent fan of UMD Bulldog hockey for more than fifty years through winning and losing seasons, and was a founding member of the Blue Line (now Bulldog) Club. Living in Duluth allowed him to pursue a lifelong love of sailing and he spent many happy hours on Lake Superior. He enjoyed gardening (especially raspberries), making fruit jellies, hunting, playing tennis, listening to music (largely jazz) and spending time with family. He loved traveling domestically and abroad, and never tired of getting to know new people and places. He had a lifelong interest in reading and learning, and in retirement particularly enjoyed Elderhostels, University for Seniors and PFLAG. Mac was a member of Pilgrim Congregational Church (UCC), the Kitchi Gammi Club, the Duluth Rotary Club, and the Apostle Islands Yacht Club. In addition to his loving wife, Mac is survived by his sister, Elizabeth Joan (Alfred) Smith of Stillwater; seven children: Douglas Fifield of North Oaks, Lynne (Jerry) Frigaard, Scott (Pam) Fifield, Jeffrey (Marilyn) Fifield, all of Duluth, Lisa (Steve) Snodderly of Portland, Ore., Ann (Dario) Borim of Dartmouth, Mass., and Peter Fifield (John Carroll) of New York, N.Y.; fifteen grandchildren (Matt, Dan, Grant, Meredyth, Ann, Owen, Kate, Max, Gwen, Joe, Ian, Lydia, McLean, Zach and Morgan), and one great-grandchild (Meghan). He is preceded in death by his parents, Myron and Mildred Fifield, a grandson, Jeffrey M. Frigaard, and a daughter-in-law, Carolyn M. McCann. MEMORIAL SERVICE:11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 18, 2008, at Pilgrim Congregational church in Duluth. In lieu of flowers, donations to either the UMD Medical School or University for Seniors Development Fund would be greatly appreciated.
This obituary was originally published in the Duluth News Tribune.
