Frank M. Midgley M.D.

07/06/1939 - 09/06/2025

Frank Murray Midgley, M.D., 86, - father, stepfather, grandfather, uncle, friend and colleague to many - died peacefully at home on September 6, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.
Born July 6, 1939, in Yonkers, New York, to Charles E. and Margaret Midgley, he was the beloved husband of Sally Brown for nearly 30 years. He is survived by his daughter Elizabeth Midgley MacKenzie (Steve MacKenzie) and the late Frank Midgley, Jr. (1971 - 2014), daughter-in-law Julie Simpson, stepchildren Jeremy Brown, Amy Brown (Karel Terstall), Sarah Brown (James Hamilton), and Tucker Brown; grandchildren Jake, Dylan, Ethan, Tyler, Valerie, Garrett, Skylar, Stevie and Theo; his beloved dogs will miss him. He is also survived by Jan W. Midgley, mother of Frank Jr. and Elizabeth.
Frank grew up in Yonkers and graduated from Riverdale Country School before attending Princeton University, where he earned a degree in engineering in 1961 and remained a proud Tiger for life. He received his M.D. from Albany Medical College in 1965 and completed nine years of surgical training at the University of Michigan Medical Center (Ann Arbor) and at the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street (London).
A pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon by true calling, Frank's career took him from Michigan to London and, ultimately, in 1974, to Washington, DC - where he put down deep roots and dedicated his medical career to saving the lives of children. He joined Children's National Medical Center (now Children's National Hospital) in 1974, where he served as Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery for 28 years, Surgeon‑in‑Chief (1991–1992) and Director of Surgical Specialty Service (1995–1999) and later as Emeritus Executive Director of the Center for Surgical Care. He and Sally divided their time between Washington, and Frank's beloved Keuka Lake, New York.
Across three decades, Frank and the teams he led helped transform surgical care for children with congenital heart defects, and made infant‑age repair of congenital heart disease the norm. Under his leadership, a cardiac transplant program was started. The once ground breaking techniques pioneered are now part of everyday practice and have saved countless tiny lives.
Frank will be remembered for his selflessness, legacy of contributions to the body of medical knowledge, and quiet philanthropy. He was a Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at The George Washington University, consulted at the National Naval Medical Center, Walter Reed, and the NIH, published numerous papers with colleagues that continue to inform today's standards, and traveled on medical mission trips to rural Ecuador.
When he wasn't in the operating room, he was outside - running, doing yardwork or spending time with kids and grandkids - or tinkering at the workbench. An engineer at heart, if he wasn't fixing hearts he was fixing everything else: leaky faucets, toy boats, and anything that needed a steady hand. An avid runner, he loved marathons, and completed 26 all over the world, from Arlington to Venice.
Frank will be remembered by so many for his kindness, his generosity, his commitment to work, his duty of care, and above all, his love of family.
His legacy spans thousands of lives; the loss felt is enormous.
A Celebration of Life will be held Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 4 p.m. at Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Maryland.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in support of Children's National Hospital. All gifts will be directed in support of cardiac initiatives and can be made via this link, or by mail at:
Children's National Hospital Foundation, 1 Inventa Place, 6th Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attn: In honor of Dr. Midgley