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Donald Willard MacCorquodale M.D.
1921 - 2020
Donald MacCorquodale Obituary
DONALD WILLARD MACCORQUODALE, M.D.
November 13, 1921 March 21, 2020
Donald Willard MacCorquodale died peacefully at home in Chevy Chase House on March 21, 2020. His family is grateful for the wonderful care he received there. Born on November 13, 1921, he saw tremendous changes during his 98 years.
Donald's passion for medicine began at an early age, influenced by his mother Helen G. Murphy, a nurse in WWI. His father, Willard MacCorquodale who died shortly after his birth, served as an Army private in WWI. His parents met in a veterans' hospital where they both were treated for tuberculosis.
Donald MacCorquodale received a B.A. in chemistry from the University of Denver in 1942, a M.D. from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1945; he was awarded the Samuel D. Gross Prize in Surgery. Later he earned a Master of Science in Public Health in 1969 at the University of North Carolina. His public health training cultivated his lifelong interest in epidemiology and biostatistics.
After serving two years in the Navy, Donald became a general practitioner of medicine in Colorado Springs, Colorado for 15 years, where he "lanced boils, delivered babies, made night house calls, and held the hands of the worried well." He had a remarkable bedside manner and was an excellent diagnostician. He joined the Agency for International Development (AID) in 1964 and served in Guatemala, Colombia, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic and AID/ Washington with temporary assignments in another 14 countries. In 1969 he earned AID's Superior Honor Award. After AID, he worked in occupational medicine at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, the Civilian Employee Health Service of the Pentagon, Crater Health District in Virginia. He wrote about health and preventive medicine in a column "Notes Washed up in a Bottle," published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the American Association for Public Health Physicians website and the DACOR Bulletin.
He will be greatly missed by his daughter, Patricia MacCorquodale (Philip Krider; Tucson AZ), step-daughters Vivian Spiro (Lionel; Boston MA) and Jean Reubens Lorrey (Martin; Nashua NH), his grandchildren and great grandchildren, and his nephew Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield who faithfully managed his care in his later years.
Contributions in his memory can be made to DACOR Bacon House Foundation, 1801 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006; The Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, 3212 Cutshaw Avenue, Suite 226, Richmond, VA. 23230-5024; The American College of Preventive Medicine, 455 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. Suite 200, Washington, DC 20001; or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
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Memories and Condolences
for Donald MacCorquodale
Mark Ryan, DDS
January 17, 2021
Don, you went 98 years, Bravo! Be reunited with Joyce in heavenly glory forever! Joyce and your friend Jean K are wanting. Thank you for the resolute, cultivated, principled example you set! Well done. Peace!
Renee Reich
May 7, 2020
I always looked forward to hearing from you and discussing the many topics we talked about. Loved all of the many stories about your life. You will always be in my heart many, many abrazos.
April 30, 2020
Don/Dr. Mac was a marvelous man-- a cherished colleague since TDY work in 1978 in the DominRep, exploring prospects for family planning/child survival operations research. He loved research ideas and--preferring to do serious conceptual work over martinis at home--we bonded. Witty, great story teller, perfectly fluent Spanish (very good French, competent in German, playful in English speech styles), blessed with autonomic insightfulness and fair-mindedness. A charming man. A comrade in global public health.
As almost the only widely experienced clinical physician in USAID also trained in inferential statistics, Don was a rare resource for us and for the countries where he served.
Over the '80's & '90's he wrote and shared "Notes Washed up in a Bottle"--a sort of medical/epidemiological dairy I shared widely at USAID Missions (and kept a collection, if I can find them). Following epidemiological issues in leading medical and demographic journals, he distilled and shared. Embassies loved having Dr. Mac and his lovely wife, Joyce, at their post!
Don was one of the reasons my spouse and I joined DACOR in '89. The Raconteur had found a 2nd home and wasn't shy about recruiting USAID FSOs. Thanks, Don, we've so enjoyed being there ever since and our many luncheons together! Apropos, a special note of appreciation to Richard McKee (DACOR ExDirin the '00s) who helped Don attend luncheons weekly over his long, graceful twilight yrs. We remember Donald MacCorquodale with admiration. Abrazos Donaldo!
Ann Ingraham Reddin
April 29, 2020
Don was our father's best friend in Colorado Springs as we girls grew up. The whole Ingraham family loved him.
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Judith Gill
April 28, 2020
Dr.Mac as he was affectionately called by local health district staff in Virginia was an amazing man who shared an expertise in disease prevention and health education that shaped my career. He symbolized the concept of "Public Health" better than anyone I encountered during my 32 years of work in the field. I can just imagine what he could contribute to the management of todays pandemic. An amazing gentleman.
April 27, 2020
My mother worked for Dr. "Mac" and he welcomed us into this world. He treated many a childhood illness, stitched our cuts, and always had a kind smile when we saw him the office. An amazing childhood memory for an amazing, accomplished man. He definitely exemplifies a "Life Well Lived."
The Walton Family
Jeff Shields
April 26, 2020
Don will be greatly missed. He was always there for my family.
April 26, 2020
Condolences from the Tamlin Family. He was our family doctor in 1950-1960's. Mom really liked him.
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