In Memoriam...

As the fall season begins, please take a moment to remember the following members of the BIDMC family who passed away during the summer:

David Bassin
Susan J. Bileau, MT (ASCP),
Irwin M. Freedberg, MD
(Charles) Colby Hewitt, Jr.
Albert Pulli
John Hinman, MD
Margot (Sheffield) Kruskall, MD

David Bassin, who headed the development office at Beth Israel Hospital for many years, died on June 18. Mr. Bassin attended Roxbury Memorial High School in Boston and worked for two years, then enlisted in the Army at the age of 18. Following his discharge, he attended Boston University, where he earned a degree in the Business School of Industrial Management before eventually joining Beth Israel Hospital. "David Bassin was a committed executive whose efforts moved the hospital forward during his tenure," said Mitchell T. Rabkin, MD, CEO Emeritus of Beth Israel Hospital. "Thoughtful and affable, he was devoted to Beth Israel." "David was a very kind, warm gentleman with a huge heart," added Bozena Jachna, MD, anesthesia and critical care. "I knew him only these past several years, but he certainly enriched my life and he will be missed tremendously." Married for 38 years, Mr. Bassin cared for his wife, Adelle, at home until her death from Alzheimer's disease. "He loved watching sports and was a big chess enthusiast," recalled his daughter, Heidi Bassin, "and his time at the BI was a most enjoyable time for him." In addition to his daughter, Mr. Bassin is survived by his sister, Barbara Landman. He was predeceased by his wife, Adelle; by his son, Stuart; by his brother, Nathan; and by his sister, Charlotte Klass. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in Mr. Bassin's name may be made to the Stuart M. and David Bassin Endowment Fund, c/o BIDMC Department of Development, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215.

Susan J. Bileau, MT (ASCP), a medical technologist in BIDMC's blood bank, died on June 25 following a brief illness. She was 53. Ms. Bileau worked at the medical center for many years, originally at the New England Deaconess Hospital beginning in 1974. A skilled technologist who obtained her Specialist in Blood Banking certification at the Deaconess, Ms. Bileau went on to a supervisory position at the former Bon Secours Hospital, then returned to the Deaconess in 1987. She most recently worked at BIDMC on the overnight shift. "Sue was a dedicated med tech who always put the patient first," said Blood Bank Clinical Manager Leslie Richardson-Weber, MT (ASCP). Blood Donor Recruiter Marilynn Kozak, MT (ASCP), who had worked with Ms. Bileau since 1974, said, "Sue had a great laugh - she knew how to laugh at herself, and she was very smart - a great friend." Kozak also recalled her friend and co-worker's dedication to QVC, the home shopping channel, noting that after a hard day at work, Ms. Bileau loved to relax and shop in the comfort of her home. Blood bank co-worker Donna Pacini, MT (ASCP), remembered, "Sue was always smiling and cheerful, even after a tough night at work." In addition, Ms. Bileau was well-known for her love and dedication to her dogs. Her goal was to someday open a kennel and become a breeder, and she worked very hard to make this dream come true by purchasing a home with over 40 acres of land in Rhode Island. She leaves her mother, Norma Bileau; her sister, Mary Luongo and brother-in-law John; her beloved dogs; and her many friends here at BIDMC.

Irwin M. Freedberg, MD, the first chief of dermatology at Beth Israel Hospital and a clinician, researcher and professor who mentored hundreds of medical students and residents over four decades, died of a brain tumor on July 17. He was 74. Born in Brookline to Arthur and Sadye Freedberg, Dr. Freedberg graduated from Dartmouth College  and Harvard Medical School. He also studied biochemistry at Brandeis University, learning to apply biochemical techniques to the study of skin disease. After training at Boston City Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, he became the first chairman of  Beth Israel Hospital's new department of dermatology from 1966 to 1977. "Through his relationship with both patients and hospital staff, Dr. Freedberg contributed strongly to that special quality of the BI of clinical and research excellence combined with warmth and concern, a tradition with which he was very familiar through the example of his uncle, A. Stone Freedberg, today an emeritus member of the Beth Israel medical staff,"  noted Mitchell T. Rabkin, MD, CEO Emeritus of Beth Israel Hospital. ''Irwin was an extraordinary man, a compassionate man deeply committed to his patients," added Howard Hiatt, who was chairman of medicine at Beth Israel   Hospital when Dr. Freedberg was chief of dermatology there. "He went into the field of dermatology at a time when it was not attracting large numbers of people. He was one of the pioneers." Dr. Freedberg went on to become the first chairman of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine from 1977 to 1981, and chairman of the dermatology department at the New York University School of Medicine from 1981 until his death. Dr. Freedberg's son, Kenneth, added that   his father specialized in diseases of the hair and nails and his research into keratin proteins led him to receive funding from the National Institutes of Health for four decades. Dr. Freedberg also played important leadership roles in many professional groups, particularly the American Academy of Dermatology and the Society for Investigative Dermatology Inc. Although he put in long hours and worked hard, Dr. Freedberg found time to be ''tremendously playful," said his son-in-law, Michael Bogdanow of Lexington. ''He was the first one up and the last to go to bed," he said, noting Dr. Freedberg's love of travel and debate. Dr. Freedberg was married to Irene (Lisman) for 51 years. They lived in New York and  Holderness,  New Hampshire, in a home Dr. Freedberg built himself in the 1970s. Although he moved to New York, Dr. Freedberg remained true to New England sports teams, his son said. Last year, when receiving an award from the president of NYU for his accomplishments, Dr. Freedberg removed his mortarboard and replaced it with a Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series championship cap, to the delight of the audience. Besides his wife, son, uncle and son-in-law, Dr. Freedberg leaves two daughters, Marjorie Bogdanow of Lexington and Deborah Freedberg of Portland, Oregon ; and seven grandchildren.

(Charles) Colby Hewitt, Jr., died on Aug. 2. Mr. Hewitt was a chair emeritus at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, having served as a trustee of the  New England Deaconess Hospital beginning in 1965, and as chairman from 1986 to 1990.  He also served as co-chair of the Board of Overseers at the medical center. "Colby was such a grand guy - always a gentleman, always helpful and constructive, and with a glint in his eye hinting of the wry sense of humor that lurked just below the surface, ready to put people at ease or defuse tensions," said BIDMC Chairman of the Board Carl Sloane. "He was the epitome of what a chairman emeritus and leader ought to be." David Weener of BIDMC's Board of Directors recalled, "Colby was a dear friend and mentor. At the medical center, he set the stage for me in my positions as overseer, chair of the overseers, trustee and then chair of the tustees, and ultimately as a director. Colby was always there to discuss the issues when there were 'issues.' He would not only advise, he would assist. Nominating, fundraising, promoting -- whatever was asked of Colby, he'd do. The thing I'll miss the most is this man always being present, wearing a bow tie and a smile. We've lost one of this area's most special human beings." Mr. Hewitt was the beloved husband of Emmy Hewitt; the father of Chuck Hewitt, a member of the BIDMC Board of Overseers, and of Jeff, Lee, Bill and Rob Hewitt; and the grandfather of seven. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to BIDMC, Office of Development, 330 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA   02215, with a note that the donation is in memory of Mr. Hewitt.

Albert Pulli, a transporter in the department of radiology since November 2004, died at home on Aug. 14. He was 48. Mr. Pulli joined BIDMC's radiology transport staff last November and quickly became a valued colleague among the radiology staff, noted his manager, Elisabeth Grady, B.S. R.T. (R)(CV), diagnostic radiology. "The hospital was a new environment for Albert, having worked many years in retail, but Albert quickly demonstrated a caring and compassionate attitude with patients," Grady said. "His brother told me that Albert would phone him every day during his lunch and tell him how happy he was working at BIDMC." Mr. Pulli was quick to lend others a hand and he enjoyed his co-workers, patients and nursing staff he met on the floors. "Albert's sense of responsibility was unbelievable," recalled Radiology Transport Supervisor Fritz Honore. "He was someone that I could rely upon.  He always demonstrated his devotion and compassion toward patients.  Albert was such a great guy, very helpful and constructive. With his good judgment and pleasant manner he developed a solid relationship with all staff. Albert was a very special human being and he will be missed." Mr. Pulli was the son of the late Albert and Lillian Pulli; the brother of Jeanine, Richard, Thomas, Dennis, Roseanne and Anthony Pulli; and had several nieces and nephews. He is survived by his loving companion, Daniel Zabielski.

John Hinman, MD,  a staff member of the New England Deaconess Hospital  and a Harvard Medical School faculty member for 22 years, died at Newport Hospital on Aug. 18. He was 80. Dr. Hinman was born in San Francisco on May 25, 1925 to Dr. Frank Hinman Sr. and Mittie (Fitzpatrick) Hinman. He was one of four physicians in his family: his father and two of his four older brothers were also medical doctors. Dr. Hinman attended prep school at The Tamalpais School, San Rafael, California. He received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and his medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He would later write that his favorite memory of Hopkins was his "personal fulfillment as intern-third year student in obstetrics and the warmth and professional support of house staff and senior faculty."  During World War II Dr. Hinman served as a lieutenant-commander on the United States Navy and a naval flight surgeon. In the 1950s he was based in Chicago, working for the American Medical Association as the assistant director of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAHO) and as assistant secretary for the Council on Medical Education. In 1964 he began practicing internal medicine (hematology/oncology) at the Deaconess. Dr. Hinman was also senior investigator at the Center for Blood Research, Boston. In 1970 he and the late Dr. James Tullis developed a procedure to prevent the transfer of hepatitis from blood transfusions. Dr. Hinman served on the vestry of All Saints Episcopal Church in Brookline,  Massachusetts. He retired in 1986 to his home in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, later moving to Charlottesville,  Virginia, and, for the last 10 years of his life, living in Newport,  Rhode Island. He attended St. John Evangelist Anglican Church in Newport and was an active member of the Harvard Faculty Club in Cambridge. Dr. Hinman is survived by his eldest brother, Dr. Frank Hinman, Jr. and his wife Marion of San Francisco; by his sister-in-law, Mrs. Alanson ( Alice ) Hinman of Winston-Salem, NC; and by several nephews and nieces.

Margot (Sheffield) Kruskall, MD, a division chief in pathology at BIDMC and renowned medical researcher, died on Aug. 27 of ovarian cancer. She was 56. Dr. Kruskall was professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School and in the early years of the AIDS epidemic, pioneered the use of a patient's own blood for transfusion during elective surgery (autologous blood donation), making the practice of blood transfusion  much safer for patients. For many years, she also directed the clinical laboratories at BIDMC. ''Margot was the quintessential clinician-teacher-scientist...a national thought leader," said Dr. Justine M. Carr, a Beth Israel colleague and longtime friend. "Over her career she contributed to understanding red cells -- the role of erythropoietin in increasing red cell production, the role of the immune response in red cell destruction and most recently, the innovative technology for making universal red blood cells, acceptable for transfusion to all blood types. She played a major role in national transfusion medicine." One of two children of Bertholdt and Gertrude (Plamjack) Sheffield, Dr. Kruskall grew up in northern New Jersey. She graduated from Jackson College at Tufts University in 1970 and from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1974. Dr. Stephen Kruskall was her designated ''big brother" there. They were married for 32 years. Dr. Kruskall, who served her residency at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge and was a fellow at Beth Israel, was well-liked by her patients and a respected mentor to the many students she trained in transfusion medicine. Lynne Uhl, interim division chief,  Laboratory Medicine and Transfusion Medicine, said, "For me Margot was a true mentor -- she took me under her wing early on in my career as a pathology resident and supported me every step of the way during my training and early career in transfusion medicine. She has left an indelible mark in my life and I will miss her dearly."

Dr. Kruskall served as the associate editor of the journals Transfusion and Blood. She won numerous awards, including the S. Robert Stone Award for Excellence in Teaching at Harvard Medical School, and awards from the American Red Cross and American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) on whose boards she served. Last November, she received the President's Award from the AABB, citing her as ''an accomplished researcher and a devoted physician. She has touched many lives with her wit, intelligence, and compassion." The author of many papers and book chapters on transfusion medicine, she concentrated during the last 10 years of her career on innovative research to convert all red blood cells to a more universal donor blood supply.  Dr. Kruskall's research ''had a knack for creating headlines," her husband Stephen noted, citing an article in the New England Journal of Medicine several years ago, of which she was the lead author, that described a case of chimerism. The article led to a recent program on the Discovery Channel. "Dr. Margot Kruskall was a brilliant woman, a compassionate physician, and a discriminating scientist who made important original contributions to the field of transfusion medicine," said Harold Dvorak, MD, co-director of BIDMC's Center for Vascular Biology Research and former chief of pathology. "She was also an outstanding administrator who led the division of clinical pathology at BIDMC for many years with wisdom, fairness, grace and discriminating judgment.  She had an eye for attracting talented young people and was careful to develop that talent in those she supervised.  She was also a good friend, beloved by all who knew her. She is sorely missed." Dr. Kruskall continued to work much of the time after her illness was diagnosed in 2002.  Despite the intensity of her work, Dr. Kruskall was a multifaceted, "renaissance woman," her husband said, noting that before they had children, she raised Burmese cats, one of which was voted ''best female Burmese in the country" by the Cat Fanciers Association in the 1980s. After her diagnosis, Dr. Kruskall took a writing course at the Harvard Extension School. Her essay, ''Lessons on Dying," appeared in the Charles River Review in 2002. In addition to her husband, Dr. Kruskall leaves two daughters, Lauren and Gillian; a son, Peter; and a sister, Denni Day. Donations may be sent to BIDMC, Office of Development, 330 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA   02215, with a note that the donation is in memory of Dr. Kruskall.

Dr. Kruskall's colleagues are collecting thoughts, recollections and anecdotes about Dr. Kruskall for a book that will be given to her family at a memorial service later this fall. If you would like to contribute a written piece for the book, please contact Keith Boehmer at
(66)7-4942 or at kboehmer@bidmc.harvard.edu . 

A Memorial Service will be held for Dr. Kruskall on Saturday, October 29 at 10:30 a.m. at the Dover Church, 17 Springdale Avenue, Dover, Massachusetts,
(508) 785-0957. A reception will follow. All are welcome.

 

We send out e-mails to inform BIDMC staff about members of our community who have recently passed away. To report the death of a current or former BIDMC community member, please contact Susan Lubars in the Office of the President at (66)7-9478, Rabbi Terry Bard at (66)7-3030 or Valerie Hope Goldstein, Communications, at
(66)7-7307.