Dr. Ferdinand S. Leacock, retired surgeon who served in the Army during the Vietnam War, dies - Baltimore Sun

Dr. Ferdinand S. Leacock, a retired thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon who served arsenic a combat tract surgeon during the Vietnam War, died Oct. 5 of aggregate myeloma astatine his Pikesville home. He was 88.

“Everybody that I cognize who encountered him loved him not lone for the doc helium was but for the idiosyncratic helium was. He had an outstanding estimation arsenic a surgeon and arsenic a doc leader, and helium was compassionate,” said Dr. Samuel Ross, who retired successful 2020 from Bon Secours-Mercy Health System, wherever helium worked intimately with Dr. Leacock, who aft helium retired from practicing country successful 2004, worked astatine Bon Secours Hospital arsenic a physician-adviser.

Dr. Ferdinand S. Leacock. (Handout / HANDOUT)

“[Dr. Leacock] was a distinguished and stately man successful his approach, and was scholarly, but ever with a consciousness of humor.”

Howard T. Jessamy, erstwhile head astatine Baltimore’s Provident Hospital, was not lone a workfellow but a longtime person of 39 years.

“He was well-liked by his colleagues and patients,” Mr. Jessamy said. “He was a calm and tenable person. He was some an businesslike and effectual physician.”

Ferdinand St. Obin Leacock was the lad of migrant parents. His father, Ferdinand S. Leacock Sr., was a merchant seaman who was often distant from the family, and his mother, Sylvia V. Alkins Leacock, had been a certified midwife successful Barbados.

Dr. Leacock was calved successful New York City, and erstwhile his parent wasn’t allowed to signifier midwifery successful Manhattan, she took a occupation arsenic a seamstress successful a garment factory. Seeking amended kid attraction for her son, she sent him to unrecorded with her parent successful Barbados.

After graduating from Harrison College, a precocious school, successful Christ Church, Barbados, helium returned to New York City, wherever helium entered Columbia College and earned his bachelor’s grade successful 1956.

He obtained his aesculapian grade successful 1960 from Howard University Medical School and completed a wide surgical residency astatine the aged Fort Howard Veterans Hospital and residences successful some thoracic and cardiovascular country from what is present the University of Maryland Medical Center.

During his inferior twelvemonth astatine Columbia, helium met and fell successful emotion with the erstwhile Yvonne Smith, a pupil astatine Barnard College, whom helium met successful a religion class. They joined successful 1968.

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Dr. Leacock enlisted successful the Army arsenic a skipper and from 1965 to 1967. He was a wide surgeon astatine the Valley Forge General Hospital successful Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, earlier being sent to Vietnam successful 1967 arsenic a tract surgeon assigned to the 18th Surgical Hospital successful Pleiku.

In 2017, Dr. Leacock received a missive from retired Army Maj. Roy Dean, whom helium had treated during the warfare and who yet located the antheral who saved his beingness aft searching subject records that are held successful St. Louis.

“On March 3, 1967, you were fixed the task of receiving maine successful the 18th Surgical Hospital successful Pleiku. I had been deed with incoming artillery, my face, some shoulders, and thorax which damaged my liver, gall bladder and respective ribs,” Maj. Dean had written. “For 4 days each clip I woke up I would spot your look and ticker your hands bash their magic connected my assemblage to marque it amended ... For 50 years, I person seen your look and hands, not knowing who you were ... It would beryllium bully to speech and explicit my acknowledgment to you for redeeming my life.”

“That missive arrived successful 2017, and we called him instantly truthful the 2 of them could chat,” Mrs. Leacock said. “Vietnam was specified a traumatic time, and erstwhile helium came home, helium conscionable threw everything successful a box.”

After being discharged successful 1967, helium completed his residency successful thoracic country successful 1969 astatine what is present the University of Maryland Medical Center and was appointed main of country astatine the aged Provident Hospital connected Liberty Heights Avenue.

From 1972 to 1976, helium was an adjunct prof of country astatine the Charles R. Drew Postgraduate Medical School successful Los Angeles and, during that aforesaid clip period, was an adjunct prof of country astatine the University of California astatine Los Angeles School of Medicine.

Dr. Leacock was aboriginal objective subordinate prof successful the section of country astatine Meharry Medical College successful Nashville, Tennessee, from 1981 to 1985.

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After holding respective surgical positions astatine Los Angeles County-Martin Luther King Jr. General Hospital, Dr. Leacock returned to Baltimore successful 1987 erstwhile helium was appointed main of thoracic and cardiovascular country astatine Bon Secours Hospital, during which clip helium besides served arsenic main of thoracic country astatine what is present the University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus.

From 1990 to 1992, helium was vice president of aesculapian affairs for the aged Liberty Medical Center and from 1992 to 1999 was president of the hospital’s section of surgery. He besides maintained a backstage surgical signifier until retiring successful 2004.

“On the idiosyncratic side, helium gave maine dependable proposal and guidance,” Mr. Jessamy said. “He was a mentor to maine arsenic well.”

Dr. Leacock retired successful 2015 from Bon Secours Hospital, wherever helium had been a doc advisor since 2004.

A satellite traveler, immoderate of his astir meaningful journeys were to the Holy Land connected pilgrimages that had been organized and guided by the Rev. Wendell H. Phillips, pastor of Heritage United Church, who baptized Dr. Leacock successful the Jordan River.

“He wasn’t a subordinate of the church, but helium would travel america to Bible studies and spiritual retreats,” his woman said.

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Dr. Leacock was an progressive subordinate of Sigma Pi Phi fraternity. He was besides a “fierce rival connected the tennis tribunal and astatine the paper table, wherever helium played bid whist,” his woman said. “He preferred pugnacious opponents, and helium loved to win.”

A memorial work volition beryllium held astatine 2 p.m. Nov. 5 astatine the March Life Tribute Center, 5616 Old Court Road, Randallstown.

In summation to his woman of 64 years, erstwhile enforcement manager of Hope Support Center, Dr. Leacock is survived by 3 sons, Keith Leacock of Mount Vernon, Stephen Leacock of Pikesville and Kent Leacock of Oakland, California; a daughter, Adrienne Leacock of Oakland, California; and 3 grandchildren.