Theodore Paul Votteler

Theodore Paul Votteler, M.D. Named one of the "Best Doctors of America", passed away on May 23, 2008, in Dallas. He was born in 1927, in Portland, Oregon, to Theodore and Mary Gladys Parry Votteler and moved to Dallas in 1939. He graduated from Highland Park H.S. and was attending The University of Texas at Austin when he joined the Navy in 1945. After serving his country he went directly to the Tulane University School of Medicine and graduated in 1951. He completed a Fellowship in Philadelphia, PA under Dr. C. Everett Koop. At 29, he started his career at Children's Medical Center in Dallas and a private practice. Dr. Votteler was appointed medical director of surgical services and director of general surgery at Children's for 33 years. In 1978, he performed the first of seven successful separations of conjoined twins. He became an international authority on conjoined twin separations, writing on them extensively. In 2001, Dr. Votteler retired from pediatric surgery practice, having performed more than 25,000 surgeries. He returned to The University of Texas at Austin in 2007 to complete his BA in biology where he delivered a portion of the commencement speech at his own graduation. He was also a clinical professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Votteler received numerous awards including the Highland Park H.S. Distinguished Alumni Award, Aesculapius Award, Children's Medical Center Distinguished Service Award, and the Tulane Medical School Life Time Achievement Award. He married Vermelle McCain Votteler on September 4, 1954 and they have two sons, Theodore P. Votteler Jr. (Tad) and Todd Haydn Votteler, Ph.D. He is survived by his loving wife, Vermelle Votteler; sons and daughters-in-law, Tad and Sally Ann Votteler, and Todd and Sharmon Sullivan Votteler; grandchildren, Alexis Sutton Votteler, Theodore Paul Votteler III, Anna Grace Votteler, Victoria Frances Votteler; with one granddaughter on the way, Caroline Elizabeth Votteler. Memorial donations may be made in memory of Dr. Votteler to the Highland Park Presbyterian Church Music Department or to the Whitefish United Methodist Church, PO Box 4248, Whitefish, MT 59937. Sparkman/Hillcrest, 7405 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, TX 75225 (214) 363-5401