Albert C. Beatty Jr. M.D.

Albert C. Beatty, Jr. M.D., F.A.C.S. of Merion, formerly of Chestnut Hill, died March 6, 2018 of complications from heart failure and pneumonia Dr. Albert Beatty was not born a doctor, but that is certainly one of the many ways that he will be remembered. He was “just a kid from Uber Street” in the West Oak Lane neighborhood of Philadelphia. His parents, Albert Sr. and Elsie Beatty met where they both worked and were soon thereafter, married. They provided him a modest upbringing in which Albert Jr. always held a job and always strived to be his best. This was exemplified early on when he wouldn’t settle for just joining the Boy Scouts of America, but instead achieved Eagle Scout at age 14. He continued his ambitious ways working as a haberdasher to pay his way through college at Temple University and became the first in his family to attend college. He had always wanted to become a physician and was determined to go to medical school. He got a job out of college as “a detail man” selling pharmaceuticals for Squibb (today known as Bristol-Myers Squibb). Despite winning sales awards and pins, he was destined for healing and tirelessly pursued his dream of becoming a surgeon. He attended Hahnemann Medical College, now part of Drexel University, and took a Rotating Internship at Abington Memorial Hospital. It was during that internship that he met the one and only love of his life, nurse Dolores Heinle, who ultimately became his bride. He lightheartedly referred to her as his “Indian Maiden” because of her beauty and love of the sun but it was her intelligence and personality that most intrigued him.After completing his residency training in General Surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital, Albert became the first graduate from that institution to be accepted into Harvard University where he completed a fellowship in Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. During his time at Harvard, he was trained by pioneer heart surgeon Dr. Dwight Harken at The Brigham Hospital. He brought his newly learned skills along with his wife and newborn daughter Marla back to Philadelphia, to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital where he spent the next couple years. Albert and Dolores would have three more children, Albert, Alexandra and Jonathan. He built a private practice and remained on the staff of several teaching hospitals throughout the city of Philadelphia. He had an exceptional career and never stopped learning. As a general surgeon, he operated on a vast variety of cases, many of which are now their own distinct specialties. He did orthopedic surgery and set fractures, he removed tonsilsand even performed gynecologic surgery. He became triple board certified in General, Cardio-Thoracic and Vascular surgery. As a heart surgeon, he replaced valves and repaired aneurisms in addition to coronary artery bypass surgery. He was very comfortable with chest surgery and removed lung tumors and lobes. He also operated on major vascular systems including carotid arteries and the femoral-popliteal bypass. When patients could not pay for services or were uninsured, he would give equal care regardless. Albert was also a scholar and constantly studied not only medicine but the Arts, Humanities, foreign language (fluent in French and proficient in German and at, 88-years-old, just beginning to learn Italian), real estate, oriental rugs classical music ?and jazz. Most importantly, he was a loving and dedicated husband and father. The only thing that was more important to him than medicine was his family. He always made time for family dinners and vacations, never missing an opportunity to teach something about life. Huge holiday dinners were always held at his house, usually preceded by a pilgrimage to a remote turkey farm to supply a 25 pound turkey (or two) for his loving wife to prepare. Also important to him were regular trips with the family to Ocean City, NJ for summer vacations. Dolores was always by his side and looked after him and their four children whom they raised together. He is survived by all four children Marla Beatty Citron (Kenneth), Albert C. Beatty III, Alexandra Morris (Michael) and Jonathan A. Beatty, M.D. (Kristin), eight grandchildren,and his sister Mary Jane Kapastin (Marc).Services and Interment private. In lieu of flowers donations in honor of Dolores Beatty to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research Michaeljfox.org would be appreciated. ?