Richard Fulton Kieffer, Jr., MD
January 14, 1921 ~ December 18, 2008
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Dr. Richard F. Kieffer, Jr., a resident of the Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community, died on December 18, 2008 after a prolonged period of declining health.
He was born in Baltimore, MD in 1921, the son of Richard F. Kieffer, MD and Henrietta W. Kieffer.
Following graduation from Franklin & Marshall College, he attended the School of Medicine of the Johns Hopkins University from which he graduated in 1944. Following medical school, he served 5 years as a surgical resident at Hopkins and 2 years of duty with the US Army as chief surgical officer of the 155th Station Hospital, Yokohama, Japan. Thereafter, he was appointed chief of surgery at the VA Hospital in Baltimore, MD, a position he held for 27 years. In this position, he participated in the training of Hopkins surgical residents, many of whom went on to head surgical departments in some of the country's best universities. These former residents and his colleagues honored Dr. Kieffer by commissioning the painting of his portrait which permanently resides in the Department of Surgery at Hopkins Hospital.
Dr. Kieffer was one of the country's leading experts on pulmonary resection for the management of tuberculosis. He was a pioneer in the surgical management of cancer of the esophagus.
Dr. Kieffer was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Margory Upham Kieffer, RN, the former Associate Director of the Hopkins School of Nursing.
He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Robert W. Kieffer of Asheville and by his grandson, Wilson F. Kieffer, an engineering student at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Giles Health Care Chapel of the Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community or the charity of your choice.
The Kieffer family wishes to express a very heartfelt thanks to the entire staff of the Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community for outstanding care and relentless graciousness.
A memorial service will be conducted by the Reverend E. Morgan Gardner at St. Giles Chapel, Deerfield, on Saturday, December 20, 2008 at 2:00 PM.
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I just received word of Dr. Kieffer’s death, and want to extend my deepest sympathies to his family. Dick and I were classmates at Johns Hopkins, where he was No.One in our class.(He stayed up all night before the finals) A good friend, and a superior human being!
Dr.Kieffer I am very sorry for the loss of your father if he was anything like you he was a wonderful man.I will never forget your kindness to me when I worked at the VA Hospital with you. May God be with you in this time of loss and always be atyour side
Dr. Kieffer was very special to us and we are thinking of your family.
Dr Kieffer was a renaissance man, an iconic surgical educator, and a wonderful human being. Many surgical careers-including mine- were influenced by this gentle giant.
We are saddened by his loss. What a wonderful teacher and surgeon. He made the Loch Raven VAMC an awesome experience for the Halsted residents.
I was so srry to read about Wilson’s grandfather. What a wonderful man he must have been. My condolences to your entire family in this most difficult time.
Isabel Taylor (Miss Bell)
I have just learned of Dr. Kieffer’s passing. He was a great gentleman, caring physician, and mentor. It has been 30 years and I still remember his kind voice and manner.
My father, Lindberg J. Moyers was a prisoner of war in Korea. He was severely wounded while he was a prisoner. After he was liberated he was transported to the 155th U. S. Army Station Hospital where shrapnel from a rocket explosion was removed, and his health was restored before he was transferred home for convalescent leave. Dr. Kieffer was the Chief Surgical Officer when my father was liberated. Thank you to Dr. Kieffer, his family, and military surgical teams who have brought our family members home alive.