Dr. Walter George Wolfe

March 22, 1937 - April 13, 2020

Hillsborough

Dr. Walter George Wolfe passed away at the age of 83 at his home in Hillsborough N.C., with his family by his side on April 13, 2020. He died from complications of ALS.

Dr. Wolfe was born in Corry, Pennsylvania on March 22, 1937. He was the son of Harold and Charlotte Wolfe. He was an avid scholar and athlete. He played football and ran track at Denison University and received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1959. In 1963, he received his medical degree from Temple University. He then went on to complete an internship year in surgery at Philadelphia General Hospital, followed by residency in General and Cardiothoracic Surgery at Duke University in 1964, where he was both a Chief Resident and an Academic Scholar in surgery. He became a professor in General and Cardiothoracic surgery at Duke in 1972. He was an excellent cardiothoracic surgeon, clinician researcher, teacher and mentor during his more than fifty-year-tenure at Duke.

As a clinical researcher he was a fellow at the University of California's San Francisco Cardiovascular Research Institute from 1967-1968. He wrote 186 peer reviewed publications, 85 book chapters and three books during his career as an academic professor of cardiothoracic surgery. He was a member of the IRB at Duke through his entire career until 2019. He was a leader in resident education and mentorship serving as Program Director of the Thoracic Residency Program at Duke University for eight years, and as the Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Durham Veteran's Administration Medical Center for 30 years. Duke University recognized him with many awards for teaching, including the Residency Teaching Award in Surgery, and the STSA Inspiration Award in recognition of exceptional efforts in motivating, inspiring and cultivating clinical and research talents of future cardiothoracic surgeons. He was designated a Master Surgeon at the university in 2015.

Even with all of his professional accomplishments, he was known as Walt to many. He was beloved not only in the medical community, but also in the community in which he lived. He was known for his sense of humor. He was a phone call enthusiast, and enjoyed his garden and his dogs. He was an avid sports fan and outdoorsman. He was absolutely in love and devoted to his wife Jackie in their 42 years of marriage, and together with their children built a community of lifelong friends and neighbors who became family.

Walt is survived by his wife Jackie, his five children; Christopher, Stephanie and husband (Will), Michael, Jake and wife (Anya), Kennedy and husband (Carl), his four grandchildren; Courtney, Jonathan, Aaron, and Kathryn, his two great grandchildren, Kyra and Landon, and his brother George and wife (Susan).

The Wolfe family is humbled and grateful for the many friends who have supported them and seen Walt in the past year during his illness. They are also indebted to his caretakers for the past year, Tammy, Amber, Sheila, and his nurse, Jeanine who have provided compassionate care and friendship.

In lieu of flowers and gifts, we ask that you write your favorite story about Walt, and send it to [email protected]. Photos are also welcome.

To honor his legacy as a surgeon, teacher and mentor, The Department of Surgery at Duke has established the Walter G. Wolfe, MD Memorial Fund to be used to support resident education. Contributions can be made to this fund in care of Marcy Romary at Duke Health Development, 300 W Morgan Street. Ste. 1200 Durham, NC 27701. Checks to be written to Duke University.

You may also make a donation in his honor to fund research towards better treatments for ALS. This is coordinated through Whitney Martin, M.Ed. Email her at [email protected] Donations may also be made online at http://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth.

Given this time of social distancing due to the coronavirus, we will not be having a memorial service until a later time. More information to come.

The Wolfe family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service, Durham, NC. Online condolences: www.hallwynne.com; select obits.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Herald Sun on Apr. 19, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Walter Wolfe

Sponsored by Hall-Wynne Funeral Service & Crematory - Durham.

12 Entries

Chip Bolman

April 13, 2023

Walt's memory does not fade with time. If anything, his influence and legend grows with the passing of the years. He was a great surgeon and doctor, and a wonderful friend and mentor to countless residents, students and colleagues.

Chip Bolman

April 13, 2022

Ceeya and my heart go out to Jackie and to Walt´s family. We were again saddened at the passing of dear friend and life- long mentor, Robert Anderson, this past year. He and Walt were best friends ever since training together at Duke. They talked by phone at least daily and were devoted to each other to the end of Walt´s life. Bob was not the same after Walt´s passing, but still kept his irreverent sense of humor, even through the pain of his last days. The world is a lesser place without these two. Those of us blessed to know them and their loving wives- Jackie and Taime- are truly fortunate. Bob and Walt- Rest In Peace.

Linda Hanna Lloyd

May 4, 2020

Walt grew up in my hometown of Corry Pennsylvania and played football for my dad, Coach Lou Hanna. I remember his house on Wayne Street which was next door to our high school principal , Howard Sheen. Walts father, Harold Wolfe, was our junior high school principal. My husband graduated from Duke Medical School. One year we were back for his reunion at Duke, I was able to get in touch with Walt and he took time out of his busy day to meet us. That was the last time I saw the great doctor.
My prayers for his family during this time of sadness.

Lary Robinson

April 30, 2020

I was so saddened to learn of Walt's passing. I have known him for 48 years and considered him one of my finest teachers of thoracic surgery at Duke...and he was a real friend. I have always admired his surgical judgement and skill as well as his humble and personable nature. Walt was my ideal surgeon..someone that I hoped to emulate. Like so many other people who knew and loved him, I miss him so. Although he has left this Earthy realm, Walt is still with us, and we will all be together some day in a far better place. The poem that follows gives me some solace when I lose someone close and dear. My sincerest condolences to Jackie and his family.

Death Is Nothing At All

By Henry Scott-Holland

Death is nothing at all.
It does not count.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
Nothing has happened.

Everything remains exactly as it was.
I am I, and you are you,
and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by the old familiar name.
Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was.
There is absolute and unbroken continuity.
What is this death but a negligible accident?

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just round the corner.

All is well.
Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

The author, Henry Scott-Holland (1847 - 1918), a priest at St. Paul's Cathedral of London, did not intend it as a poem, it was actually delivered as part of a sermon in 1910. The sermon was preached while the body of King Edward VII was lying in state at Westminster.

April 25, 2020

It saddened me to hear of the passing of Dr. Walt Wolfe and how he will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and the medical community. My sister-in-law(Karleen Womble) worked with him in the Duke OR for years and he became good friends of my brother and parents.
In the late 70's, my wife at the time, had some pain in her left arm along with some swelling. I brought her to see Walt for an evaluation and recommendations. His prognosis was that the surgery could be performed but her condition would reappear and all would be done for nothing. She had already had more surgery than she should have had for a girl her age and he didn't recommend anything more than medicating and living with the symptoms. She was a determined girl, so she found someone else that would do the surgery at another hospital. GUESS WHAT! Within 3 days everything reappeared just as Dr. Wolf had predicted and it was all for nothing. This was my first experience with how good a Doctor Walt was.
In 2012 I was sent to the VA Hospital, across from Duke for a stress test. Near the end of the test I collapsed on the treadmill, causing quite a disturbance for the emergency staff. I was moved to the emergency room to be held for further observation prior to being moved to a room and kept over night to make sure I had not had a heart attack. While I was there my sister-in-law, Karleen, called to find out how I was doing. Surprised of her phone call, I asked how did you know I was in the ER. She said that she and my brother were at a party the previous week and Dr. Wolf was there and they told he about my VA stress test coming up the following Friday. He told them that he would be at the VA that morning and would go by to check on the results. He found out that I didn't do so good and immediately called Karleen to let here know what had happened. My brother came up to the hospital that night to see me and while there called Walt at home to get any advice from him he might have. He said; "tell Steve to cool his jets", and we will do a heart catherization to find out what is going on. I then felt that I was very fortunate to have him as a good friend of the family. He sat in on my heart cath which revealed that I had blockage in one artery and I needed my aortic valve replaced. I was informed that he was stepping down from surgery at the end of the week, but if I wanted him to do the surgery he would come back the following week to do it. Of course, I would not have had anybody else but him do it! It has now been 8 1/2 years since surgery and everything seems to be going well.
After heart surgery, they give you a pillow to hold to your chest to protect the sternum, when coughing, etc. It is customary to have have hospital staff members that have worked with you to sign it for you to take home as memorabilia. After surgery, i didn't see Dr. Wolf anymore because Dr. Daneshman who assisted during surgery, did all the follow-ups. Finally, a year and a half ago with the help of Karleen and Dr. Wolfe's wife, Jackie, the pillow is now complete with his signature. I feel very fortunate, appreciative ,grateful and lucky to have had Dr. Walt Wolfe perform my open heart surgery. And, as far as I know, I was his last open heart patient prior to his retirement.
Steve Womble

April 24, 2020

Jackie so sorry to hear of your loss, I remember you from your days in the ACU and Dr. Wolfe in the heart rooms starting in the seventies. Prayers for comfort and your family at the lost of a husband, dad, granddad and a great human being! Larry Dowell, Duke Anesthesia.

Matthew Williams

April 23, 2020

An incredible person who trained me to become a heart surgeon. Courageous, charismatic, generous. Rest In Peace Dr. Wolfe.

April 23, 2020

Jackie,

It's been a long time since I have seen you and Walt, but I remember fondly the times we shared together. My heart goes out to you and the other members of your family.

Walt and Chip at University of Minnesota 1989

April 19, 2020

Jackie,
Ceeya and I are so saddened by Walt's passing. We know what a titanic struggle these last few months and years have been for you and your family. Walt could not have had more loving, compassionate and selfless care than what you provided for him. While the pain of his loss seems overwhelming right now, please be comforted that at least he is no longer suffering. This disease of ALS was particularly, almost singularly, cruel to Walter. To see a man who was the picture of vitality and masculinity thus reduced by this illness was needlessly poignant.
Walt was always larger than life for me, starting from when I was in surgery training at Duke from 1973-80. When I decided to pursue thoracic surgery training just before my Chief Residency year in General Surgery at Duke, I had to figure out how to tell Dr. Sabiston of my decision, since I was not in the Thoracic Surgery track. Walt was the first person I went to talk to. He was one of the main reasons I wanted to be a heart surgeon, and he calmed me down and helped me prepare for my meeting with "The Man". I will never forget how kind and supportive he was at that time. Walt gave me my first chance to publish in the thoracic literature, as we co-wrote a paper on bronchiectasis and pulmonary sequestration for Surgery Clinics of North America.
Walt's best friend, Bob Anderson, had left Duke by that time to be Chief of the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at the University of Minnesota. With Walt's support, I decided to train with Bob in Minnesota.
Throughout my career, I admired and tried to emulate Walt. Because of Walt, I gravitated to aortic surgery as a major part of my practice. Walt was always willing to review a case with me, sometimes right from the operating theatre, if the need arose.
He was a true rarity- a master surgeon, equally skilled in procedures of the heart, lungs, and esophagus. While an imposing physical specimen of a man, he was eminently approachable. He was the consummate teacher of surgery. There will only ever be one Walter G. Wolfe, MD.

charles francis osgood

April 18, 2020

Jackie, I am very blessed for being associated with Walt in my time a DUMC. He was always there with advice, a joke and a thank you.

Marsha Shiver

April 17, 2020

Dear Jackie, Michael, Kennedy and Jacob,

Please know how saddened we are to hear of your great loss in the passing of Walter, your Dear Husband and Father.
We know that ALS is such a fierce and unwelcome disease.
And we understand the pain of losing someone so very close and so dear. Someone you have always looked up to and admired.
Without a doubt, Walter had, nothing less than, a wonderful life with all of you as part of it.
He is remembered as a kind, respectful and intelligent man.
With certainty, you must have a great "bounty" of very wonderful and happy memories as family.

May God grant you Comfort and Peace in the days and weeks ahead, and May God Rest his Precious Soul.
Marsha El-Khouri Shiver & Family

Tami McGraw

April 17, 2020

Walt was one in a million. We are blessed to have known and loved him. He has touched our lives forever. The world has lost a great man.
Love, Tami McGraw

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