Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Christine Haycock, WB2YBA, Silent Key

Today's MARCO-list brought the sad news from Fred Simowitz, K0FS, that Chris Haycock, WB2YBA had passed away in January. She was a woman of extraordinary accomplishments and a long-time MARCO dignitary. The following excerpt from the Newark Star-Ledger but scratches the surface of her life story:

Haycock, Dr. Christine HAYCOCK Dr. Christine Haycock, surgeon, professor, 84 Christine E. Haycock, M.D., 84, of Newark, died on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008, at the Center for Hospice Care at St. Josephs Hospital in Wayne. The funeral service will be on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the S.W. Brown & Son Funeral Home, 267 Centre St., Nutley, swbrownandson.com. Friends will be received at the funeral home from 4 to 8 p.m. The interment of her remains will take place at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Born in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and raised in Richmond, Va., before moving to Nutley, Dr. Haycock went from Nutley High School to the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing. She earned her B.S. degree from the University of Chicago, her medical degree from the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center (1952), and held a masters degree in political science from Rutgers University. She first served in the Army during World War II in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps. She extended her military career when she obtained her M.D. and became the first woman intern at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, at which time she became the first woman to transfer directly from the U.S. Army Nurse Corps to the U.S. Army Medical Corps. After serving in the United States and Japan, she reverted to active reserve status, ultimately retiring in 1984 at the rank of colonel. She was also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College (1977). Dr. Haycock resumed her residency in surgery following her active military service at St. Barnabas Medical Center and a year as a senior resident at St. Johns Episcopal Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y. She then returned to Newark and opened a private practice in general surgery. She was a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. She was a leading expert in sports medicine and was a member of the American College of Sports Medicine. She had published widely in this field, particularly concerning women in sport. In 1982, she served as president of the American Medical Womens Association and was a past president of the New Jersey Medical Womens Association. She was long affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. In 1968, she joined the faculty of the New Jersey Medical School as associate professor of surgery and director of emergency services at University Hospital. She retired in 1992 as professor emeritus of surgery. Dr. Haycocks wide interests included amateur radio, photography, videography, and breeding and showing miniature schnauzers, Manchester terriers and Italian greyhounds. The Foundation for the History of Women in Medicine and The College of Physicians of Philadelphia recently presented the fifth annual Alma Dea Morani Renaissance Woman award to Dr. Haycock on Oct. 28, 2004. In their citation it was noted that, Dr. Haycock excelled as a physician, teacher and mentor to other women who sought to become physicians. She was best known for her influence on sports medicine for women, her work on the eradication of uterine cancer and her leadership in the establishment of the trauma center at University Hospital in Newark, as well as her post as commander of a trauma unit during her service in the Army Medical Corps. In 2006, she was inducted into the Nutley Hall of Fame.


RIP and 73.

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