Dr. N. David Charkes

N. David Charkes August 13, 1931 – April 1, 2022 Service Date: Pending Collegeville, Pennsylvania Loving Husband, Father and Grandfather Dr. N. David Charkes, 90, of Collegeville, PA, formerly of Wynnewood, PA, died peacefully April 1, 2022, at Phoenixville Hospital, surrounded by family. Dave was raised in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Brooklyn's P.S. 247 and from Lafayette High School in 1948. He attended Columbia College in New York. It was then all-male, but had classes with Barnard, the Columbia University women's college. He met his future wife Nancy in a comparative religion class, using the surefire pickup line "Are you going toward Broadway?" After graduating from Columbia in 1952, he entered Washington University Medical School in St. Louis, from which he graduated with honors in 1955. He and Nancy married in 1953. After an internship in Boston he served on active duty with the U.S. Army, stationed at Walter Reed Research Unit at Fort Detrick, MD, then did a residency at University of Maryland Hospital. There he was introduced to the nascent field of nuclear medicine. In 1962 he was given the opportunity to start a nuclear medicine department at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. From then on he devoted his professional career to nuclear medicine, first at Einstein then for over forty years at Temple University where he was Professor of Radiology and Medicine. He was the author of hundreds of research papers. In 1991 he was honored with the Berson/Yalow Award of the Greater New York Chapter of the Society of Nuclear Medicine, and in 2014 received the George Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Pioneer Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, for demonstrating the scientific efficacy of bone scintigraphy, as well as his work in thyroidology, compartmental analysis and thrombosis. He was a clinician and teacher as well as prolific researcher. The practice of nuclear medicine has a scientific and mathematical component but also requires an astute visual sense to interpret the scans., Dave was endowed with great skill in these diverse aspects of his chosen profession. He loved art, particularly the Impressionists. Dave was an expert woodworker, creating beautiful objects for friends and family, from letter openers to tables. He was influenced by the naturalistic style of George Nakashima, whose studio in Bucks County he had visited. His furniture was expressive not only of his love of beauty but his connection to the life history of the tree that was written in the wood. He was an avid hiker, dating back to his youth at summer camp in New Hampshire. As an adult he was a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club, hiking AMC's hut system in Presidential Range, and was especially proud of having ascended Mount Washington 10 times. He and Nancy enjoyed spending summers at their home in Fairlee, Vermont for many years where they hiked, biked and enjoyed the outdoors. He enjoyed travel, sailing, playing the piano, attending theater and musical performances, dining out, and following the Phillies. Dave's greatest love was his family. In addition to his wife Nancy, he is survived by his children Susan, Evan and Alice, five grandchildren, and several cousins. Relatives and friends are invited to his service on Sunday, May 22, 2022 beginning at 1:00 PM at the D'Anjolell Memorial Home of Malvern-Frazer, 392 Lancaster Ave., Frazer, PA 19355. Inurnment Private Contributions in Dave's honor may be made to Laurel House (https://laurel-house.org) and A Better Chance in Lower Merion (https://abclowermerion.com).