JOHN STAPLETON

1921 - 2021

STAPLETON JOHN FREDERICK STAPLETON January 25, 1921-November 13, 2021 John Stapleton was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Fordham College in New York and Georgetown Medical School in Washington D.C. After interning at Providence Hospital in Washington, he served as Lieutenant JG in the Navy at the VA Hospital of Perry Point, Maryland. Following discharge, he served a year in the Yater Clinic before undertaking medical residency and cardiac fellowship at Georgetown University Hospital. He practiced primary medicine for two years in Rockville, Maryland, then moved to Worcester, Massachusetts. He supervised a Georgetown affiliated medical educational program at St Vincent Hospital and became Assistant Professor of Medicine at Georgetown. In 1965, Dr. Stapleton became Chief of Cardiology and Associate Professor of Medicine at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. He returned to Georgetown as Medical Director for twenty-two years. During his directorship, he also served as Professor of Medicine, and Associate Dean of Medical School. Active in the American Heart Association, Dr. Stapleton served as President of the Heart Association in both Worcester and Washington and was awarded the Distinguished Service and Heart of Gold awards by the Nation's Capital Affiliate of the American Heart Association. He served as President of the Association of Hospital Medical Education (1960-1962) and received the Association's John C. Leonard Award in 1987. In 1976, the Georgetown University Alumni Club of Metropolitan Washington granted Dr. Stapleton its annual Alumni Achievement Award. In 1983 Georgetown University awarded Dr. Stapleton an Honorary Doctorate of Science. The Georgetown University Alumni Association gave him an Award for University Service in 1992 and the Founder's Award in 1998. The Metro Washington Chapter of the American College of Physicians granted him the John Mahar Laureate Award in 1994. He became Master of the American College of Physicians in 2012. He authored 40 medical and educational publications and produced two books: Essentials of Clinical Cardiology and Upward Journey: The Story of Internal Medicine at Georgetown. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Tina; daughters Kathleen Stapleton, Jacqueline Wolfrey, and Carol Gassman; sons David Stapleton and Jeff Stapleton; six grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. Services and Interment will be private. Services and Interment will be private.