Walter Clare Reesey Jr. M.D.

W. Clare Reesey Obituary W. Clare Reesey, Jr., M.D. passed away suddenly on January 18, 2012, at his home in Liberty Township. He was born on February 21, 1931 to W. Clare Reesey, Sr. and Marguerite Reesey in Girard. Clare was preceded in death by both parents; a granddaughter, Andrea Ware; and most recently his wife of 58 years Mary Lou (Gaugh) Reesey. He is survived by two daughters; Melissa Lynn Ware and Cynthia Ann Thorne (Doug); one son W. Clare (Trea) Reesey, III (Gina) and three grandchildren; Brooke Collens, Lauren Thorne and Kyle Thorne. Dr. Reesey graduated from Girard High School and continued his education at the University of Cincinnati, attending both college and medical school there. During this time he was supported by his wife Mary Lou, after having been married on February 21, 1953. After completing his medical training in Cincinnati he and his family moved to Amarillo Texas where he joined the United States Air Force. When his commitment to the Air Force was complete they returned to Girard, where he entered the private practice of medicine on Wilson Street. With his remarkable diagnostic abilities and his brilliant but homespun people skills, his practice grew exponentially and continued to blossom for many years. Notably he was able to staff a practice for over twenty years with the same two women who began to work with him when he began his practice. As a result of this respect and admiration that the medical community had for him he was selected to start and run the first family practice residency program at Northside Hospital. His love of medicine and teaching along with his ability to listen to all, while being able to focus on what really was needed by a patient, made his teaching of new residents unequaled. In addition to his work with the residency program he also taught medical students at the Northeast Ohio Universities College of Medicine. Following his time with the residency program, Clare manned a satellite office in North Jackson, Ohio, doing what he loved the most, "just being a good country doc." At the age of 75, Dr. Reesey retired from his medical practice and will be remembered for many, many years by the thousands whose lives he touched. During his retirement Clare was able to dedicate much of this time to his other passions, remote control airplane building and flying, fishing, and wood turning. Despite having retired, Clare enjoyed providing wisdom, counsel and guidance to others wherever he found them.
A memorial service will be held at the Butler Institute of American Art on Saturday January 28th from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family kindly requests donations be made to: The Butler Institute of American Art 524 Wick Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44502 or Team Garrett Inc., c/o Huntington Bank Champion Banking Office 4349 Mahoning Avenue North West, Warren, OH 44843. Visit www.blackstonesfh.com to view this obituary and send condolences to the Reesey family.