My uncle John died on Friday.
He was a pretty remarkable guy, and I didn't really appreciate that
growing up -- he was just my uncle, who had a piano and a harpsichord in
his livingroom, and who liked dachsunds.
His obit from the Daily Progress of Charlottesville, VA is as follows:
***********
Dr. John Thornton Dunn
Dr. John Thornton Dunn, a University of Virginia Medical School professor
and leader in international efforts to eliminate iodine deficiency and its
accompanying disorders, died Friday at his home in Charlottesville. He was
71.
Born to Thelma Brumfield and William LeRoy Dunn in Washington, D.C., Dr.
Dunn graduated from Episcopal High School in 1950, Princeton University in
1954, and Duke University School of Medicine in 1958. He completed an
internship at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center and a residency at
the University of Utah. In 1961, he began a fellowship at Massachusetts
General Hospital, where he met his future wife, Ann Davis.
Returning to his Virginia roots, Dr. Dunn joined the University of
Virginia's faculty of medicine in 1966. He dedicated his professional life
to teaching, research and the treatment of thyroid disease in both his
local community and worldwide. He traveled to remote, mountainous parts of
the world to collaborate with colleagues engaged in reducing iodine
deficiency. At the time of his death, he was the executive director of the
International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, a
non-profit organization he co-founded. He was a member of the American
Thyroid Association, which awarded him the Van Meter prize for excellence
in basic research, and the Paul Starr award for outstanding contribution
to clinical thyroidology.
He will be remembered for his sense of humor, compassion, modesty, and
integrity- a true Virginia gentleman. He enjoyed adventure, opera, hiking
in Alaska, and spending time with his family. He had a lifelong passion
for the piano and his first ambition was to be a musician.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Ann Davis Dunn. He is also
survived by his children, Catherine Dunn Shiffman of Bala Cynwyd, Pa.,
Peggy Dunn of Austin, Texas, Robert Davis Dunn of New York, N.Y.; a
brother, William Hunter Dunn of Santa Cruz, Calif.; a sister, Mary Dunn
Degges of Blacksburg, Va.; an aunt, Josephine Shelly of Fairfax, Va.; two
grandchildren, Nicholas and Samuel; a son-in-law, John Shiffman; and a
daughter-in-law, Dana Salvano-Dunn.
In his honor, the annual John T. Dunn Lectureship in Endocrinology and
International Health will be established to commemorate his lifetime
achievements in endocrinology and world health.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rector and Visitors of
the University of Virginia, FBO John T. Dunn Lectureship, Attn: Jeffrey L.
Moster, P.O. Box 800773, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0773.
*************
I think the funniest musical thing I ever experienced live was "What a
Friend We Have In Jesus" done in ragtime style on the harpsichord.
He'd worked as an organist at a church in Cambridge (at least, I think it
was Cambridge and not Boston) when he was living in Boston. My mom
pointed out the church one day when I was about 7 or so. (We were living
in Arlington, so it just happened we passed the church one day as we were
out running some errand or another.)
He had a wonderful dry wit and good deadpan. When he and his brother got
together, John would just feed Bill openings, and Bill would take them.
The last time I got to see this was when both of them happened to be
passing through Austin, and we had dinner with them down on 6th St. (Z
Tejas, if anyone cares....) Bill's wife was embarassed. I thought it was
pretty entertaining -- it was one of those things I loved about being with
the two of them.
Anyway, that's one of the things I've been dealing with over the weekend.
I can't go to the funeral because I've got two babies that need me and
they're both just getting over something and not really fit to travel that
far.
Julia
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