Shane, Thanks for sending this. Although it's not "football" it's still about UF and important for any Gator.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry -----Original Message----- From: Shane Ford <[email protected]> Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 08:01:00 To: <[email protected]> Subject: [gatornews] [SUN]: 5/21 06:01 --- UF's first neurology chairman dies at 80 [Chun] UF's first neurology chairman dies at 80 By Diane Chun <[email protected]> Gainesville SUN Staff writer Published: Friday, May 21, 2010 at 6:01 a.m. Last Modified: Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 11:56 p.m. Dr. Melvin Greer, professor of neurology at the University of Florida, died Wednesday. He was 80. Click to enlarge<http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100521/ARTICLES/5211015/1105/NEWS?p=all&tc=pgall#> Melvin Greer Greer joined the College of Medicine faculty in pediatrics and neurology in 1961. He became the first chairman of the department of neurology when it was created in 1974 and remained chair until 2000. In that time, he trained about 150 residents and countless medical students in his field. For many years, he was the area's only pediatric neurologist, colleagues say. He also was board certified in adult neurology. Dr. Kenneth Heilman was one of the neurologists recruited to UF during Greer's tenure as chairman. On Thursday, Heilman recalled the man he considered more of a brother than a boss. "I trained in Boston and was considering a faculty position at Harvard or Dartmouth," Heilman said. "When I told people I was going to Florida instead of staying at Harvard, they kind of looked down their glasses at me." Heilman told them, "If you knew Mel Greer, you'd understand why I was headed to Florida. It gave him great pleasure to see people succeed." Heilman described his friend and colleague as a man of few words except when he was teaching or talking with kids. "He was always extremely kind and very positive," Heilman said. "He was made to be a physician." Greer earned his medical degree at New York University and served in the U.S. Navy before he joined UF's faculty in pediatrics and neurology. Greer served in a number of positions in the American Academy of Neurology and was its president from 1985-1987. A major area of his research concerned swelling of the brain not related to a traumatic injury, and Heilman said Greer revolutionized treatment of the condition. "He was still seeing patients in clinic just weeks ago," Heilman added. "He loved to care for patients, and he loved to teach. It gave him tremendous joy." "Mel loved his work and he loved his family," said his wife, Arline. Greer died of congestive heart failure after a lengthy illness. Along with his wife, he is survived by sons Richard, Jonathan and David, daughter Allison, and several grandchildren. -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
