Jean A. Chapman, MD

Tribute

Jean A. Chapman, MD the hospital staff of Southeast Missouri As we approach the American College Hospital his entire medical career. Jean of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology cared for the whole patient and became (ACAAI) annual meeting this month, widely regarded by his peers and pathere are those members whom we saw tients for his compassionate demeanor, last year who have passed away during affable style, subtle wit, expertise, and the ensuing year. None will be missed integrity. more than former President Jean A. His work as a consummate general Chapman, MD, who passed away in internist was recognized by his peers in March 2009. I first met Jean the year he Missouri and at the American College was president-elect and was immediof Physicians by the bestowal of a ately struck with his passion and resolve Mastership in the American College of for both the College and, more imporPhysicians. This is truly a singular honor tantly, our subspecialty as a whole. I was awarded to very few internists who practice in the United States. There are only a most honored to deliver the Jean A. handful of allergists in the United Chapman lecture at the 2003 annual States who have ever been so recogmeeting. We had kept in touch over the nized by the American College of Phyyears, and when I was invited to become sicians. Editor-in-Chief of the Annals in 2004, Jean was also widely recognized for Jean offered me strong words of encourhis expertise in allergy and immunolagement to take the job. ogy. Early in his career he became foAll of us who knew Jean were aware cused on aerobiology as a special inJean A. Chapman of the discomfort he was in for the last terest. He established a pollen/mold several years of his life. After hearing of counting facility at Southeast Missouri his death, I wanted others to honor the State University involving his wife, Nona Nan Chapman. He was a long time member of both the Jean Chapman that many of us knew and loved. Jean traveled ACAAI and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & with 3 other former College presidents, Bud Bardana, Ed Immunology Aerobiology Committees, contributing much of O’Connell, and Don Mitchell, and their wives to various his insights in this area. His counting facility became a model venues around the world, including their famous (at least to after which many were established. He collaborated actively some of us) vacation trip to Italy. So I thought it would be with a distinguished mycologist, Dr Harriett A. Burge, in the appropriate to ask Bud, Ed, and Don to offer their own Department of Environmental Health at Harvard School of tributes to Jean. Public Health in collecting some of the first quality-controlled

Emil J. “Bud” Bardana, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Oregon Medical School, remembers Jean this way: Jean received all of his undergraduate education in the Cape Girardeau area and was an avid football player in high school. He received a bachelor’s degree in medicine and a master’s degree in anatomy in 1951 from the University of Missouri Medical School. He completed his medical education at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis in 1953. He did his postgraduate training at St Louis City Hospital, where he was chief medical resident in 1958. He served a 2-year tour with the US Air Force as a general medical officer at Hamilton Air Force Base in California. He returned to Cape Girardeau in 1959 and opened his solo practice in internal medicine. He became board certified in allergy and immunology in 1974, and since that time all his new patients were evaluated for allergic disorders. He was on

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aerobiological data from all over the country. Jean was recognized for his contributions to the field by being named a master in allergy in 1991 by the ACAAI. As a fellow of the ACAAI he served 2 terms on the board of regents in 1986 to 1988 and again in 1995 to 2000. He was elected president of the College in 1998 and during his presidency initiated the convocation ceremony as an integral part of the annual meeting, which persists to this day and has become the focal point of the College annual meeting. It was during Jean’s presidency that I recall him being at my home and discussing the concept of a publication that would select and review important papers from prestigious journals on allergy and immunology. Jean felt very strongly that if key articles from prestigious journals could be succinctly summarized, it would be an important educational service. He encouraged me to start what would ultimately become AllergyWatch. Although I had initial doubts that such a publication would be successful or accepted, he continued to goad me on until late

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1998, when the first issue was published in November. It thrives to this day, and the concept was one hatched in Jean Chapman’s mind. Jean was a true renaissance man. He was an original thinker who was unafraid to express where he stood on any given matter. He was a brilliant clinician, a patron of the arts, and a well-known artist in his own right. If one looks up the definition of a renaissance man, one is informed that such an individual is highly cultivated, skilled, and well versed in many fields of knowledge as in the arts and sciences. This is the embodiment of Dr Jean A. Chapman. He was a painter, sculptor, woodworker, and pottery maker, served as president of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, and received the council’s prestigious Otto F. Dingeldein Award for his many contributions to the advancement and support of the arts. He was a great fundraiser for the arts and founded the Visual Arts Co-op in 2003. Its gallery has been named after him as the Jean A. Chapman Gallery. He was able to describe every artist at the Arts Council and characterize that person’s art, which made him very special in this community. Jean was truly a unique scholar in every way, and we are reminded of a description attributed to Confucius of an Asian scholar: “The scholar must keep himself free from blemish; He does not go among the low to make himself seem high; He does not seek out the foolish to make himself seem wise; He does not praise those who think as he does, or condemn those who may differ from him.” This indeed was Jean A. Chapman. To live in the hearts that we leave behind is really not to die. Jean will certainly live on in our hearts and minds. He was a unique and special man who accomplished much in his time on earth, and we shall truly miss him.

Edward J. O’Connell, MD, Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics, Mayo Clinic, shares his fond memories of Jean: Jean and I were friends for many years. I knew that he loved his profession as a practicing allergist, and I knew that he cherished his involvement with the ACAAI. He worked diligently with many aspects of the College throughout the years. He served on various committees and was extremely supportive of the Annals during my time as its Editor-in-Chief. As a practicing physician he was very involved with his community. On one of my visits to see Jean in Cape Girardeau (some years ago), he said we needed to go to the television station because we were on the program that evening. I subsequently learned that Jean had worked hard to establish and host a cable television program entitled “Ask Your Doctor.” This television program ran for years, was very successful, and covered all aspects of medicine. That particular evening, he and I were on “Ask Your Doctor,” and we took a number of call-in questions about allergic disease. His energy and enthusiasm always seemed endless! Jean was a very humble and hard-working person who was also the ultimate team player. Jean was a gifted artist who grew up with the thought of becoming a painter. As an artist he created beautiful sketches

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and drawings, painted picturesque scenes with oils and watercolors, and fashioned outstanding pottery and sculpture pieces. We have a few of his drawings and paintings, which we proudly display in our home. Whenever we traveled to meetings with Jean and there was a break, he would have his pencils and would be sketching the local landscape, trees, streams, or mountains. He was always very encouraging to other artists and was most interested not only in seeing their works but in providing them with a place to display their art. For those reasons, Dr Chapman was instrumental in developing the, first ever in Missouri, Arts Council of Southeast Missouri. It was a very successful venture. On one of his visits to Rochester, I offered to show him around the Mayo Clinic and to describe our new electronic medical record system. He was excited to learn about the new record system, but first he wanted to see the Mayo campus. As we passed one large hallway, he said, “Is that a Dale Chihuly glass work?” “And over there, that has to be an original Joan Miro´ painting?” Then he noted that in the court yard there was a sculpture piece of the “Boy With a Dolphin” done by David Wynne. It was very apparent that Jean was well read, knowledgeable, and extremely interested in the works of many of the world’s great artists. Another remarkable characteristic of Jean was his incredible sense of curiosity. “Don’t you wonder how that came to be?” “How does that work?” “How did they make that?” Whenever we were with him, our powers of curiosity and observation were enhanced. Jean helped many of us become aware of the big difference between simply looking at something rather than really seeing it for its splendor or how it was made. Jean could really see the beauty of art and nature, and he taught many of us that skill. We will be forever grateful to him. Jean lived life to the fullest.

Don Q. Mitchell, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, adds his thoughts to Jean’s tribute: When I think of Jean, I know he was the consummate physician, a gifted artist, a loving husband, and a devoted friend. Jean’s twinkle of his eye as he laughed, his keen sense of humor, and the vast knowledge of any subject that he shared were gifts that brightened my days. He had the unique ability to share his knowledge in language that was understandable. Always the gentleman, he has enriched my life and so many others, some he never knew. Our world is a better place now because of my dear friend, Jean Chapman.

What can clearly be said about Jean A. Chapman, MD, is that he loved his family, his friends, his profession, and his art. He was a unique person whose memory continues to represent the best of our numbers. His many successful efforts through the College will engrain his memory in our hearts and minds. Adieu Jean. We miss you. GAILEN D. MARSHALL, MD, PHD Editor-in-chief

ANNALS OF ALLERGY, ASTHMA & IMMUNOLOGY