ROBERT DEAN "BOB" CONN

1934 - 2011 Robert "Bob" Dean Conn, MD, of Leawood, Kan., died peacefully Saturday, August 6, 2011, after a courageous battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Bob was born May 9, 1934, in Great Bend, Kan., the only son of Robert M. Conn and Rosa T. Conn. Growing up in Wichita, Kan., he graduated from Wichita East High School in 1952 as the Class Valedictorian. He was also Wichita High School Athlete of the Year as an All-American football and All-State basketball and baseball player. He attended the University of Kansas on a football scholarship but also excelled in baseball earning the honor of Captain and later winning batting titles as a semi- professional. Upon graduation in 1956, he continued his academic achievements honored as the outstanding student in pathology and microbiology graduating Alpha Omega Alpha from the University of Kansas Medical School in 1960. Following a path of internal medicine, he completed his internship at the New York Hospital and residency and cardiology fellowship at the University of Washington, where he served as Chief Resident. Known for his contributions to academic medicine, he was Associate Professor at the University of Washington, Physician-in-Chief at Harborview Medical Center (Seattle, Wash.), First Professor and Chairman at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, and Professor, Chairman, and Head Docent at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He contributed to or authored over 50 medical publications. While at the University of Washington, Bob was selected four times as outstanding clinical teacher and designated the first Teacher Superior, in Perpetuity. He was also a teaching and research scholar for the American College of Physicians and teaching scholar for the American Heart Association. In 1974, he transitioned into private practice joining Cardiovascular Consultants, P.C. in Kansas City where he served many years as Vice President and President. Bob also served as President-elect and President of Truman Medical Center, Vice-Chairman of the Department of Medicine, St. Luke's Hospital, Kansas City, Mo., Co-Director of the Cardiovascular Fellowship Program and the Co-Director of both the "Heart" Annual Cardiovascular Symposium and "Primary Care" Annual Postgraduate Symposium sponsored by St. Luke's Hospital. Ultimately, ALS forced Bob's retirement in 2010. Although Bob enjoyed academia, his professional passion was the practice of medicine and the caring of patients as reflected in his many awards as Kansas City Outstanding Doctor (selected by Peers) and Kansas City Super Doc awards by Kansas City Magazine. He felt his most significant contribution to medicine was at Harborview Medical Center where he participated in the development of the Medic One program, which was the first mobile coronary care unit and the prototype for all current emergency care systems in the U.S. For all his time spent in medicine, he also delighted in a well-rounded lifestyle, participating in such hobbies as flying, golfing, poetry, coaching, traveling, and reading. Bob considered himself a "closet" poet writing on many topics throughout his life, and this secret passion became his voice conveying the realities of his ALS condition. Despite his demanding profession and personal interests, he took great pleasure and pride in attending his children and grandchildren's athletic and scholastic events. Bob will be remembered as an amazing family patriarch, friend, physician, teacher, scholar, mentor, athlete, and coach. He lived his life with tremendous passion and compassion for all he served. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Robert M. Conn and Rosa T. Conn, and grandson, Jordan R. Mann. He is survived by his wife, Rogene and three children, Lisa Mann (Phil, Sr.) of Prairie Village, Kan., Linda Miller (Jim) of Leawood, Kan., and Kevin Conn (Laura) of Coral Springs, Fla. He has 10 grandchildren, Lindsay Zubeck (Paul), Phillip Mann, Jr., Jamie Smith (Adam), Bobby and Brett Miller, and of the K. Conn family, Devin, Casey, Kayla, Molly, and Lilly. He has one great-grandchild, Cannon Zubeck. A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, at the Village Presbyterian Church 6641 Mission Rd, Prairie Village, KS 66208. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Keith Worthington Chapter of the ALS Association, 6950 Squibb Road, Suite 210, Mission, KS 66202 (www.alsa- midwest.org) or Village Presbyterian Church (www.villagepres.org). Condolences for the family may be left at www.muehlebachchapel.com. M