Gene W. Kallsen M.D.

1947 - 2023

Gene W Kallsen, MD
May 24, 1947 - March 4, 2023
Fresno, California - This exemplary, cherished, and multifaceted human being sailed into his final sunset on Saturday, March 4, 2023 while taking an afternoon nap. His family, friends and colleagues are crushed by his unexpected departure.
Gene entered this world as the youngest of 5 children born to Louis and Ruby Kallsen. He grew up on a rural Minnesota farm raising, cattle, hogs, sheep, horses, and chickens and growing corn, alfalfa, and soybeans. After assisting a C-section of a cow in a field during a snowstorm, Gene saw medicine in his future. He always said, when you grow up in a rural setting you have only a few role models for a career path - postman, grocer, banker, teacher, farmer and doctor. He chose to be a doctor.
Gene graduated with high honors from the University of Minnesota in 1969 and from the university's medical school in 1972. After completing an internship at Harborview Medical Center-University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, he moved to Fresno in 1979 to train in the UCSF-Fresno Residency Program. In the 40-year history of the Emergency Medicine Residency program, Dr. Kallsen served as a resident for two years and a faculty member for over 35 years. He served as Chief of Emergency Medicine for 23 years. He has trained over 300 emergency medicine physicians in his illustrious career, many of which still practice in the Valley. He also served as Assistant Dean for the UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program for six years.
Gene was Fresno County's first Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Medical Director and served in that role for more than a decade. He wrote the first set of paramedic protocols for the County, which today are largely unchanged. He was appointed to the California Commission on EMS by two governors and chaired the Commission for two years. He was instrumental in developing the regional EMS system, the trauma system and in overhauling the ambulance system.
Gene held multiple medical staff leadership roles at Valley Medical Center and Community Medical Centers even after the public private hospital merger. His leadership helped transition operations of the then, Valley Medical Center to Community Medical Centers in 1996 and during the move of the trauma center to the CRMC campus in 2007. He also served on Community Medical Center's Board of Trustees for six years during a time of tremendous growth and change.
He was an incredible leader and brilliant physician who saved countless lives, built an emergency medicine training program that insured our valley had the highest level of training for all physicians and nurses, and the best care available for every person needing care in the pre-hospital and emergency department settings. He was forever in awe of his colleagues, first responders, nurses, and support staff. All there, working as a team to save every life that crossed the threshold of the emergency department.
There have been many words and tributes to Gene (Dr. Kallsen) in the last few days and weeks. Most of which have been focused on his impressive professional life. But there are many other attributes to the man that his family and friends knew and adored. Gene loved life, loved his family, adventure, travel, sailing, wildlife, nature, his dogs, and Two Buck Chuck!
In 1989 he took a chance and married his wife Pam as part of a package deal. He quickly became, not only a new husband, but the father of two daughters who were 6 and 7 years of age. The four celebrated 34 years of being a family this last month. Because of his influence, his daughters have become successful career women, wives and mothers. He was so incredibly proud of them.
Gene was a beautiful and graceful snow skier and an accomplished sailor who sailed his 22-foot Capri sailboat at Millerton and Huntington Lakes, and recruited and trained his "Pretty Good" crew to race in the High Sierra Regatta, winning a few trophies. His most memorable sailing trips were bareboating in the British Virgin Islands, Cyclades Islands (Greece), and Tahiti. He was an intellectual who relished sunsets, was a voracious reader, woodworker, and traveler. He and Pam were able to explore more than 42 countries learning and embracing various cultures and intriguing experiences by themselves and often with friends and family.
Gene was one of the most ethical, high integrity, humble, compassionate, nicest people who ever graced this earth. He has left an extraordinary legacy that will benefit our community for many years to come.
We will miss his quiet way, his much-anticipated smile, carefully measured words of wisdom, his willingness to help whenever and wherever. He left this world - small and large - a much better place. There is a huge void in our lives and hearts but he will forever live on in our memories.
Gene is predeceased by his parents, his siblings Jim Kallsen, Kay Kallsen, Barbara Steelman, and his in-laws Dick and Dee Seyller. He is survived by his wife Pam, daughters Leslie Williams (Johnny), Laura Boyd (Jeff) and five grandchildren - John and Jace Williams, Sullivan, Seyller Gene, and Sloane Boyd, his brother Bruce Kallsen (Becca), sister in-law, Patricia Kallsen, brother in-law Ron Steelman (Iris), and sister in-Laws Lynn Bennink (Tony) and Lori Seyller. He is also survived by several adored nieces and nephews and many friends, colleagues, and his dog Maggie.
The family would like to thank the Fresno Police Department dispatchers, American Ambulance Paramedics, Fresno Fire Department and our cherished next-door neighbors (Jaswant and Joginder Matharu), and the CRMC Emergency Department family for helping our family cope with Gene's untimely death. A private celebration of Gene's life was held at San Joaquin River Parkway.
Gene's memory may be honored by supporting his favorite organizations that represent his passion for quality emergency care, compassionate end of life support, the important role nature plays in enhancing our physical and mental health, and the provision of safety for victims of domestic violence:
Gene W. Kallsen, MD, Endowed Chair of Emergency Medicine makeagift.ucsf.edu/Kallsen
San Joaquin River Parkway - Riverparkway.org
Hinds Hospice- Hindshospice.org
Marjaree Mason Center- mmcenter.org