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A message from Gail Fisher:
I am sad to share the news of the passing of Gary Kielhofner early this morning. Gary was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer just 2 weeks ago and it was a very aggressive cancer that attacked him with tremendous force, in multiple ways, including a brain tumor. I was fortunate to see him a few times in the last 3 weeks that he was hospitalized. We were able to talk about his work and how we must carry it on. I am now teaching his theory course that he would have been delivering to our new students. I can not fill his very big shoes, but after working with him for 22 years, I can convey what he thought was important for our profession and for us as practitioners.
His wife, Dr. Renee Taylor, is also on our faculty. She has been by his side 24/7 since he was hospitalized. Since they live on a farm in Wisconsin, she could not easily take him home, and he and Renee received wonderful care at the Mercy Hospital Hospice Unit from Friday through today. Thanks to our colleagues Marilyn Leverson and Barbara Townsend for making sure they had everything they needed.
Renee and Gary's family are planning to have memorial services in Chaffee, Missouri, Gary's hometown, sometime soon. He will be cremated and there will be a memorial service at his parents' local church in Chaffee Missouri, which is 2 hours south of St. Louis in Southeast Missouri. We don't know the date yet, the earliest would probably be Sunday and it may not be until early next week. Please contact Gail Fisher at
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, if you want the details on that.
Our Dean is planning a service to recognize his contributions here in Chicago for our colleagues, students, and alumni. It will be in a few weeks and I will send you that information as soon as it is available. And at the International Institute on the Model of Human Occupation, January 7 and 8, 2011, in Chicago, we will have a celebration of his life and work.
Below is a message from our department head, Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, describing some of Gary's contributions and our sadness at losing him far too soon. Gail
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