The University Record, August 13, 1996
OBITUARIES
John F. Holt
John F. (Jack) Holt, professor emeritus of radiology, died July 22 at his Ann Arbor home. He was 81.
Holt spent his entire academic career at the University, where he began as assistant resident in 1939, became assistant professor of radiology in 1944, associate professor in 1947 and professor in 1953. He retired in 1984.
“It is hard to overestimate the esteem in which Dr. Holt has been held by his colleagues around the world,” said Michael A. DiPietro, professor of radiology. “As a surprise gift for Dr. Holt on his retirement, we collected and bound the many wonderful letters of congratulations which had been sent to him from colleagues and former students from around the world. Reading those letters truly impressed us with the vast scope of his influence on pediatric radiology and how admired and liked he was.”
Holt graduated from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School in 1938. He was considered one of the “fathers” of pediatric radiology, co-authoring the prominent radiology teaching textbook of the era, Radiology for Medical Students. He was recognized as the world’s premiere radiologic authority on neurofibromatosis and, in 1966, the National Neurofibromatosis Foundation of New York awarded Holt an honorary plaque for his “invaluable contributions” to the field. He also was editor of the Year Book of Radiology for more than 20 years.
He was a charter member of the Society for Pediatric Radiology, as well as its third president, and served as president of the Association of University Radiologists. He also served on and headed a variety of international, national and University committees, including the planning committee for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, which opened in 1969. He later became the hospital’s first director of pediatric radiology.
In 1995, Holt received the Hench Award as outstanding alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, and in 1996 he received the U-M Medical Center Alumni Society Award.
Holt is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary Helen; two daughters; a son; two grandsons; and a sister.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Neurofibromatosis Foundation, 95 Pine St., 16th Floor, New York, NY 10005; the Arthritis Foundation, P.O. Box 995, Ann Arbor, MI 48106; or the U-M Department of Radiology, 1500 Medical Center Drive, Room UH-BIG503, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.
Raymond H. Kahn
Raymond H. Kahn, emeritus professor of anatomy and cell biology at the Medical School, died July 5 in La Jolla, Calif. He was 69.
Kahn joined the Medical School faculty in 1954 as instructor of anatomy. He became assistant professor in 1958, associate professor in 1962 and was promoted to professor in 1967. He retired from the University in 1982, after which he became assistant director of research for the Research Institute of Scripps Clinic in La Jolla.
He was elected to the Medical School Executive Committee and to the University’s Senate Assembly. He also helped initiate the School’s Integrated Medical-Premedical Program, or Inteflex.
“Prof. Kahn will be remembered for his active participation in the affairs of the University,” said the Regents upon his retirement. “Prof. Kahn received national and international recognition for his research in tissue and organ culture. He conducted pioneering studies on the development of endothelial linings for vascular prostheses. He was an enthusiastic and dedicated teacher, as evidenced by his receipt of the Elizabeth C. Crosby Teaching Award for Excellence, and his innovative approach led to the development of a self-instructional course in histology.”
He served as adviser to the Galens Honorary Medical Society and also received the 1994 Price Waterhouse Award for service to the biotechnology community.
Kahn earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in zoology at the University of California. He was awarded a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1953.
He is survived by his wife, Judith, of Carlsbad, Calif.; two daughters, Tracey and Wendy; a son, Eric; and three grandchildren. A memorial service will be held in Ann Arbor later this year.
The family has established a fund in Kahn’s memory at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center, 101 Simpson Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0752, and has requested that donations be designated for lymphoma research.
Charles A. Metzner
Charles A. Metzner, professor emeritus of medical care organization at the School of Public Health, died in Ann Arbor July 15. He was 83.
Metzner was active in the field of social medicine and medical care organization. His research focused on the application of social science theory and methodology to social policy issues in medical care, including access, use and financing of health services.
“Dr. Metzner, who developed the School’s Ph.D. program in medical care organization—the first such program in the country—provided much of the training in research design received by decades of Ph.D. students in medical care organization. Many of his students went on to become leaders in health services research nationally,” said John R.C. Wheeler, chair of the Department of Health Management and Policy.
“Chuck was one of the most widely read people I have ever met,” added Rashid Bashshur, professor of health management and policy and a close colleague. “He was a true Renaissance man, who could discuss ancient history, the Bible, classical and modern literature, statistics, and psychology as well as health care.”
Metzner joined the U-M in 1946 as a study director for the Survey Research Center, where he conducted a number of notable surveys and then joined the School of Public Health in 1951. He became associate professor of community health services in 1953 and professor of medical care organization in 1965. He retired in 1983.
His many publications include studies of the statistical properties of medical care data and the psychology of choice behavior.
He is survived by his wife, Helen; sons, Eric of Washington, D.C., and Paul of Spokane, Wash.; and two grandchildren. A memorial service will be held in the fall. Memorial contributions may be made to the ACLU Foundation, OX FAM America, the Southeast Michigan Science Fair or a charity of your choice.
