Doctor Cornelius McCole, June 19, 2008 Detroit and the world of medicine lost one of their most distinguished and illustrious citizens recently. Cornelius Con E. McCole, M.D. , Emeritus Chairman of the Ophthalmology Department at Henry Ford Health System died on June 19, 2008 just before midnight at St. Joseph Hospital in Pontiac, Michigan. He was 83 years old. Several of his friends were with him when he died. Dr. McCole was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on October 16, 1924. Upon graduation from Princeton University he entered medical school at the University of Pennsylvania. After surgical training at the Guthrie Clinic in Pennsylvania he entered the residency program at Johns Hopkins in Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute where he also completed a fellowship in Surgical and Eye Pathology. Jack Guyton, M.D., his mentor from Johns Hopkins, came to the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit in 1954 as the Chairman of Ophthalmology. In 1956 he recruited Dr. McCole to work with him. Con remained one of Detroit's most vibrant citizens ever since. In 1976 Dr. McCole became Chairman of the Ophthalmology Department and brought the department to a new level of excellence. Dr. McCole was a mentor to many. His electric personality, genuine interest in and affection for people from a variety of walks of life, coupled with his extraordinary intelligence, attracted the talent of many who joined him in Detroit. He insisted on the highest standards in patient care and education, inspired others to do likewise, and restored both joy and excellence to the profession at a time when others were faltering. In 1992 a $1 million Chair was established in Con's honor to foster research and innovative care in Ophthalmology. The Chair was a gift of his good friend J. Edward Lundy, retired executive vice president of the Ford Motor Company. His friends called him "Con," and many remember his more frequently used expressions: he believed that "rules exist to keep those who aren't going anywhere out of the way of those who are." Or to those bogged down in trivia he would say: "Don't bother me with your little problems; our destiny is to go out across the Milky Way." He would frequently say: "If you want an opinion ask a man, if you want something done, ask a woman." He used first rate food as an excuse to convene many prominent citizens around the tables of Detroit's finest restaurants where ideas and lives were changed. His network of friends and supporters ranged from busboys to millionaires. His generosity was legendary. He paid the tuition of young people otherwise unable to attend college, always doing so anonymously. He thought of his Chief Residents as U.S. Navy Seals and frequently said: "Their motto is anything, anytime, anyhow and I expect that of you." He arranged for the Commandant of Seals to meet with his residents. By declaring people special they became special and performed in extraordinary ways. On his watch the Ophthalmology residents were known as among the system's best. They could always be counted on as exemplars of competence and professionalism. He was an admirer of Teddy Roosevelt, George Washington, and America's great railroads. His extraordinary mind was especially well-versed in American history, philosophy, theology, and the great social movements of the past. Many have been exposed to his "Unified Field Theory" which he would summarize at unforgettable dinners. This theory portrayed a clear picture of man's place in the universe incorporating both material and spiritual elements into a unified whole. It organized knowledge into different degrees ranging from the sensory to the metaphysical. He was a humanist, deeply interested in and supportive of individuals, but also committed to and concerned about humanity's role and place in the great social, philosophical and theological movements. A devout Catholic, a scholar of Aquinas, and an autodidact theologian, he used inquiry to challenge and stimulate thinking and always did so with great affection and curiosity. He liked to disarm people. When out with his conservative friends he proudly displayed his lifetime membership card in the American Civil Liberties Union, and when with liberal friends he brought out his lifetime membership in the National Rifle Association enjoying honoring both arms of the paradox. His father, Cornelius McCole was the mayor of Wilkes-Barre and an insurance executive. During Con's childhood distinguished visitors frequented the McCole family home. When Con was not quite one year old Babe Ruth came to town for an exhibition game, visited the McCole home, and threw Con up in the air catching him repeatedly. During his childhood Con was an avid swimmer and boxer, the later taught by his father in an attempt to compensate for a bad back, the residual of a childhood illness. Con was the oldest of three. His brother John and his sister Sally preceded Con in death. He is survived by his niece, Arlene Cornelia Wheat Eltzaroth in Paris and his nephew David Leh, M.D. of Pennsylvania and innumerable friends and admirers. A funeral Mass will be held at Sacred Heart Church , 22430 Michigan Ave, Michigan Ave. and Military Dearborn, Michigan at 1:00 pm Wednesday, June 25, 2008. Contributions may be made to the Dr. Cornelius E. McCole Endowment Chair in Ophthalmology at Henry Ford Hospital 2799 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit, MI. 48202. Arrangements by the Dearborn Chapel of the Howe-Peterson Funeral Home 313 561-1500