Dr. Paul H. O'Brien

Dr. Paul H. O'Brien, 71, died on August 10, 2001 in Charleston, South Carolina. He went to Evanston's St. Athanasius Grammar School, Evanston Township High School and received his Bachelor of Science and Medical Degrees from Northwestern University in 1950 and 1954, respectively. After his internship he served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. from 1957-62, he was a Surgical Resident at Cook County Hospital. After receiving his specialty training in cancer surgery between 1962 and 1965 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York, he returned to Chicago and Northwestern Medical School where he was named Assistant Professor of Surgery in 1967. In 1970 he moved his family and practice to Charleston, South Carolina. For the next 30 years he practiced medicine and was a Professor of Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina (''MUSC''). He was Director of the MUSC Cancer Clinic from 1970-76, and he was Vice Chairman of the Department of Surgery of MUSC from 1981-88. Dr. O'Brien served on the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons from 1983-93 and on the Executive Council of the Society of Surgical Oncology from 1986-90. During his training and career, he was honored by many prestigious fellowships. From 1974-79, the American Cancer Society named him Professor of Clinical Oncology, the only one in South Carolina. Dr. O'Brien published over 100 manuscripts and book chapters related to his interest in surgical oncology. He was a member of many surgical societies. An animated teacher, he was highly respectd as a surgical educator, and trained over 125 surgical residents in the principles of cancer surgery. He was honored by his students with the Outstanding Leadership Award in Medical Education from the American Cancer Society from 1974-79, and the Excellence in Teaching Award by the American Medical Student Association in 1984. He retired from MUSC in June 2000 as Emeritus Professor of Surgery but remained active in resident and student teaching. He dearly prized his friendships from boyhood as well as later years, and he became a trusted counselor to many, always willing to go more than the extra mile. Devoted to his beloved wife, Ann, and two children, Dr. Jennifer Williams and Dr. Paul O'Brien, he derived his greatest strength from his family. Informed of Dr. O'Brien's death, Dr. David P. Winchester, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery, Evanston Northwest Health Care, stated that: ''Dr. O'Brien was a wonderful human being who, as a surgeon, was highly opinionated, spirited and incredibly effective.'' In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by his brothers M. James O'Brien of Northfield and Patrick W. O'Brien of Evanston. On August 14th a burial service for Dr. O'Brien was held at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul where he had served as a vestryman. He was buried at Tullich Graveyard, Deeside, Scotland. A Memorial Service for Dr. O'Brien will be held on November 24, 2001 at St. Athanasius Church, 1615 Lincoln Street, Evanston, Illinois at 11:00 a.m.