Dr. Thomas Hamlin Gresinger

Dr. Thomas Hamlin Gresinger, long-time resident of Fort Washington, MD passed away Friday, April 22, 2016 at the age of 82. After a battle with cancer, he died peacefully surrounded by his wife and children at a family residence along the Potomac. Tom Gresinger was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 14, 1933 and raised in Cleveland, Ohio by parents Helen P. Gresinger and Hamlin L. Gresinger. After surviving childhood polio, he went on to attend the Hotchkiss School (Class of '51) and received a degree in literature from Williams College (class of '55). His service as a medic during the Korean War sparked an interest in medicine. He received a medical degree from The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in 1961. He went on to specialize in Obstetrics and Gynecology. A Gynecology Fellow with the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and member of the American Board of Obstetrics, Dr. Gresinger delivered thousands of babies over the course of his 50-year medical career. He trained many medical interns in the art of challenging deliveries during his long tenures at George Washington University and Inova Fairfax hospitals. He took great joy in talking to young doctors about the importance of individualized patient care. A steadfast proponent of women's reproductive rights, Dr. Gresinger ran several women's health clinics during his career. He was honored in 2013 by the National Abortion Federation (NAF) with the C. Lalor Burdick 'Unsung Hero' award. After prior marriages to Rosanne "Petey" Prescott and Susan Mann Flanders ended in divorce, Dr. Gresinger married Sheila Dwyer in 2006. He was a devoted father to his children and step-children, with whom he shared his passion for food, wine, sailing, and baseball. He also loved summers in Maine, classical music, and reading. An avid competitive sailor, he was a member of the Annapolis Yacht Club and New York Yacht Club, and formerly a member of Gibson Island Yacht Club. One of his great joys was sailing his boat Fortune Hunter to victory against Ted Turner in the Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) race. In his later years, he and Sheila enjoyed sailing across the Atlantic on WindStar ships. Dr. Gresinger is survived by his wife Sheila, daughters Victoria LaPointe (Josh LaPointe) of Central Valley, NY and Anne Gresinger (Paul Balzer) of Portland, ME, sons Thomas Gresinger, Jr. (Jennifer) of Rowayton, CT and Robert Gresinger (Amy) of Washington, DC, stepchildren Christopher Floyd of Washington, DC, Debbie Brunelli of Fort Lauderdale, FL; Patty Stronko of Nokesville, VA; Michael Brunelli of Cedar Rapids, IA; Peter Brunelli of Washington, VA; and Brigid Brunelli of Pompano Beach, FL and 15 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.