1931
Donald
2013
Donald Pensiero
October 7, 1931 — May 4, 2013
Donald Allen Pensiero, M.D., died peacefully at his home in Moreland Hills on May 4th, 2013.
Donald was born October 7, 1931, on the West side of Cleveland, Ohio. He was the son of the late Mamie and Daniel Pensiero, Sr. Married 58 years to his loving wife, Marcine (nee Elarton). Father of three devoted daughters: Susan (mother of his only grandchild, Maxwell, who knew him as Grandpa Doc), Lisa (Mark) and Carole. Brother-in-law to Millie Pensiero, wife of his late brother Daniel Pensiero, Jr., and Marcie (nee Elarton), wife of the late Donald Gschwind. Uncle to 8 nieces and nephews.
Graduated from John Marshall High School in 1949, Adelbert College at Western Reserve University in 1953, and The Ohio State Medical School in 1957. Was board certified in Internal Medicine with special training in Cardiology. In 1961, he went into solo private practice and continued to make "house calls" until retiring in 2006.
From 1961-1963, he was the Associate Director of The Work Classification Clinic at The Cleveland Area Heart Society and Director from 1963-1965. This groundbreaking clinic, founded by the late Herman K. Hellerstein, M.D., paved the way for revolutionary cardiac rehabilitation. Assistant Clinical Professor at Case Western Reserve University of Medicine from 1961-1985. President of Hillcrest Hospital's Medical staff in 1971 and 1972, and subsequently, became Director of the Division of Medicine for the next 12 years. He was credited with planning and implementing the Cardiology Resident Preceptor Program at Hillcrest Hospital which later was re-established with University Hospitals. He was the first practicing physician to be a member of the Meridia Hillcrest Board of Trustees and contributed from 1988-1996. After retiring, he worked at Hillcrest Hospital on patient management of quality care.
His love of medicine and care of patients was paramount. They held a special place in his heart and valued his loyalty and honesty. He will be remembered for his thunderous laugh, sense of humor, and love of Western movies. His family always came first; he was always home on time for dinner. They traveled extensively as he collected Native American art, and enjoyed a vacation home on Cape Cod.
The family will receive friends at the Brown-Forward Funeral Home at 17022 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120 on Wednesday, May 8th,
from 2-4 and 6-8 pm.
Funeral services will be held at Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118 at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 9th.
Graveside services will be private.
The family prefers that those who wish may make contributions in his name to The Hospice of the Western Reserve, 300 East 185th St., Cleveland, OH 44119, Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services, 12200 Fairhill Rd., 2nd Floor, B Wing, Cleveland, OH 44120 or an organization of choice.
THE FOLLOWING APPEARED IN THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER, MAY 7TH, 2013
The outspoken Dr. Donald Allen Pensiero was Mayor Dennis Kucinich's doctor and a leader at Hillcrest Hospital.
Pensiero died Saturday at his longtime home in Moreland Hills after a couple of years' struggle with cancer. He was 81.
"Dr. Pensiero was absolutely brilliant, very quick and incisive", said Kucinich, who gave him a key to the city of Cleveland. "He protected my health, my privacy. He was strict, with a heart of gold. You had to follow what he said".
In 1978, Pensiero admitted the mayor to Hillcrest and allowed few visitors. Kucinich's news secretary, Andy Juniewicz, told The Plain Dealer that Pensiero's explanation was "because I'm the doctor and I say so".
The doctor tried to quash the many rumors about the illness. "The mayor has an ulcer. That's it", Pensiero told The Cleveland Press. "Now, everybody knows that ulcers are stress-related. He was ordered to leave town to get the rest he needed, both emotionally and physically".
Here's what the doctor didn't say: Kucinich's resting spot was a Pensiero family condo in South Florida.
Pensiero grew up on Cleveland's West Side. He graduated from John Marshall High School, Adelbert College and Ohio State University Medical School. He married Marcine Elarton, a nurse.
He practiced internal medicine privately in South Euclid and Mayfield Heights from 1961 to 2006. He made house calls long after they were unfashionable and worried that medicine was becoming impersonal.
He was on the staffs of University Hospitals and the Cleveland Center on Alcoholism. He led the Cleveland Heart Society's rehabilitative Work Classification Clinic, becoming its associate director in 1961 and director in 1963.
Pensiero was president of Hillcrest's medical staff in 1971 and 1972. From 1976 to 1988, he directed its division of medicine. He led the rise of a program of preceptors for cardiology residents. From 1988 to 1996, he served on Meridia Hillcrest's board of trustees. He was also an assistant clinical professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine for 24 years.
Dr. Arthur Van Dyke, a long-time colleague, said "He was a firm patient advocate, an exemplary physician, always compassionate, tremendously talented".
Pensiero promoted exercise and rode 10 miles a day on a stationary bicycle. He liked to watch old westerns, visit Murray Hill and study World War II. He had a vacation home on Cape Cod and often went to medical conferences in Scottsdale, Ari., where he collected American Indian art.
Survivors include his wife, three daughters and a grandson. Brown-Forward is arranging a funeral at 11 a.m. Thursday at Fairmount Presbyterian Church. ~Grant Segall
PDF Printable Version
Donald was born October 7, 1931, on the West side of Cleveland, Ohio. He was the son of the late Mamie and Daniel Pensiero, Sr. Married 58 years to his loving wife, Marcine (nee Elarton). Father of three devoted daughters: Susan (mother of his only grandchild, Maxwell, who knew him as Grandpa Doc), Lisa (Mark) and Carole. Brother-in-law to Millie Pensiero, wife of his late brother Daniel Pensiero, Jr., and Marcie (nee Elarton), wife of the late Donald Gschwind. Uncle to 8 nieces and nephews.
Graduated from John Marshall High School in 1949, Adelbert College at Western Reserve University in 1953, and The Ohio State Medical School in 1957. Was board certified in Internal Medicine with special training in Cardiology. In 1961, he went into solo private practice and continued to make "house calls" until retiring in 2006.
From 1961-1963, he was the Associate Director of The Work Classification Clinic at The Cleveland Area Heart Society and Director from 1963-1965. This groundbreaking clinic, founded by the late Herman K. Hellerstein, M.D., paved the way for revolutionary cardiac rehabilitation. Assistant Clinical Professor at Case Western Reserve University of Medicine from 1961-1985. President of Hillcrest Hospital's Medical staff in 1971 and 1972, and subsequently, became Director of the Division of Medicine for the next 12 years. He was credited with planning and implementing the Cardiology Resident Preceptor Program at Hillcrest Hospital which later was re-established with University Hospitals. He was the first practicing physician to be a member of the Meridia Hillcrest Board of Trustees and contributed from 1988-1996. After retiring, he worked at Hillcrest Hospital on patient management of quality care.
His love of medicine and care of patients was paramount. They held a special place in his heart and valued his loyalty and honesty. He will be remembered for his thunderous laugh, sense of humor, and love of Western movies. His family always came first; he was always home on time for dinner. They traveled extensively as he collected Native American art, and enjoyed a vacation home on Cape Cod.
The family will receive friends at the Brown-Forward Funeral Home at 17022 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120 on Wednesday, May 8th,
from 2-4 and 6-8 pm.
Funeral services will be held at Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118 at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 9th.
Graveside services will be private.
The family prefers that those who wish may make contributions in his name to The Hospice of the Western Reserve, 300 East 185th St., Cleveland, OH 44119, Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services, 12200 Fairhill Rd., 2nd Floor, B Wing, Cleveland, OH 44120 or an organization of choice.
THE FOLLOWING APPEARED IN THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER, MAY 7TH, 2013
The outspoken Dr. Donald Allen Pensiero was Mayor Dennis Kucinich's doctor and a leader at Hillcrest Hospital.
Pensiero died Saturday at his longtime home in Moreland Hills after a couple of years' struggle with cancer. He was 81.
"Dr. Pensiero was absolutely brilliant, very quick and incisive", said Kucinich, who gave him a key to the city of Cleveland. "He protected my health, my privacy. He was strict, with a heart of gold. You had to follow what he said".
In 1978, Pensiero admitted the mayor to Hillcrest and allowed few visitors. Kucinich's news secretary, Andy Juniewicz, told The Plain Dealer that Pensiero's explanation was "because I'm the doctor and I say so".
The doctor tried to quash the many rumors about the illness. "The mayor has an ulcer. That's it", Pensiero told The Cleveland Press. "Now, everybody knows that ulcers are stress-related. He was ordered to leave town to get the rest he needed, both emotionally and physically".
Here's what the doctor didn't say: Kucinich's resting spot was a Pensiero family condo in South Florida.
Pensiero grew up on Cleveland's West Side. He graduated from John Marshall High School, Adelbert College and Ohio State University Medical School. He married Marcine Elarton, a nurse.
He practiced internal medicine privately in South Euclid and Mayfield Heights from 1961 to 2006. He made house calls long after they were unfashionable and worried that medicine was becoming impersonal.
He was on the staffs of University Hospitals and the Cleveland Center on Alcoholism. He led the Cleveland Heart Society's rehabilitative Work Classification Clinic, becoming its associate director in 1961 and director in 1963.
Pensiero was president of Hillcrest's medical staff in 1971 and 1972. From 1976 to 1988, he directed its division of medicine. He led the rise of a program of preceptors for cardiology residents. From 1988 to 1996, he served on Meridia Hillcrest's board of trustees. He was also an assistant clinical professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine for 24 years.
Dr. Arthur Van Dyke, a long-time colleague, said "He was a firm patient advocate, an exemplary physician, always compassionate, tremendously talented".
Pensiero promoted exercise and rode 10 miles a day on a stationary bicycle. He liked to watch old westerns, visit Murray Hill and study World War II. He had a vacation home on Cape Cod and often went to medical conferences in Scottsdale, Ari., where he collected American Indian art.
Survivors include his wife, three daughters and a grandson. Brown-Forward is arranging a funeral at 11 a.m. Thursday at Fairmount Presbyterian Church. ~Grant Segall
PDF Printable Version
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