Dr. Norman James Wilson

Dr. Norman J. Wilson, a beloved and renowned thoracic surgeon in the Boston area for many years, passed away recently in York, Maine, at the age of 96. Dr. Wilson was born in Canonsburg, Penn., and lived there through his high school years. He had a great love for music and sang with his high school and college choral groups and performed in musicals during his high school and college years.As a young man his dream was to enter the ministry; however, he contracted tuberculosis and spent a year of treatment at the Trudeau Sanatorium. There he made the decision that his lifes calling was to be a physician.He attended Muskingham College in Ohio, the University of Maryland, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons at the University of Maryland. After internships at the Trudeau Sanatorium, Trudeau, New York, the University of Maryland Hospital, Barnes Hospital in St Louis, Mo, Bellevue Hospital in NYC, and Keifer Hospital in Detroit, MI, Dr. Wilson was appointed as a thoracic surgeon at the Overholt Thoracic Clinic in Boston where he remained for several years. He also held appointments at New England Deaconess, New England Baptist, and Parker Hill Medical Center in Boston.Subsequently, Dr. Wilson was hospital director at the Parramore Hospital, Crown Point, Ind., and medical director at the Bon Secour Hospital in Methuen, Mass. He was also an associate professor of surgery at Tufts Medical School, and director of medical education, Methodist Hospital, Gary, Ind.Dr. Wilson also served in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps during World War ll.During his long career as a physician, Dr. Wilson was a member of several medical societies, including the American Association of Thoracic Surgery, and the American College of Surgeons. He published several articles concerning pulmonary diseases for the New England Journal of Medicine, and several other medical journals.He is survived by his children, Norman Jr. of Silver Lake, John of Brownsburg, Ind., Linda Canale of York, Maine, Gale Moore of St. Augustine, Fla., and Crist Triantos of Epping. Another son, Clive, is deceased. He also had 12 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren.A memorial service in celebration of his life will be held at the Madison Church, Madison, on Sept. 17 at 2 p.m. A memorial fund has been established at Hillsdale College, 33 East College Street, Hillsdale, MI 49242.