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IN MEMORIAM ’50
Dr. Donald R. Kahn Sr.
, who had a long and
distinguished career as a physician, thoracic and cardiac
surgeon, medical researcher, and scientist, passed away
Oct. 24, 2015. He was a resident of Mountain Brook.
Kahn was a biology/pre-med major at BSC, earned his
medical degree from the University of Alabama School
of Medicine, and completed his medical internship at
Washington University in St. Louis. He did his medical
residencies in general surgery and cardiac surgery at the
University of Michigan.
He spent a major part of his career as a member of the
faculty and medical staff at both UM and the University
of Wisconsin. While at UM, he performed the first heart
bypass surgery in Michigan and in the history of the university. At the time, this procedure
revolutionized modern medicine and the treatment of heart disease. He was also the first to
use the internal mammary artery for the procedure; it is still used today.
Kahn served as chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Wisconsin,
where he performed that state’s first heart transplant. He also developed the solution that
was used to transport donor hearts for transplantation, and he co-authored one of the first
medical textbooks detailing the clinical aspects of cardiac surgery,
Clinical Aspects of Operable
Heart Disease.
Feeling a strong tie to his home state of Alabama, Kahn moved back to Birmingham in
the early ’80s to start the heart transplant program at Princeton Baptist Medical Center. The
practice of medicine was not only his vocation, but also his passion; he worked in the field
for 60 years, during which time he received numerous honors and recognition and served on
the boards of many national and international medical boards and associations.
In 2011, Kahn received the Distinguished Alumni Award from BSC. During his acceptance
speech for the award, he credited the professors and the liberal arts education that he received
at BSC for his intellectual curiosity and lifelong love of learning.
He is survived by his wife; six children, including
Donald R. Kahn Jr. ’87
of Birmingham;
and five grandchildren.
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Birmingham, where they were
charter members of Briarwood
Presbyterian Church and then Faith
Presbyterian Church. He was a
founding partner and later president
of Gewin Tucker & Associates,
a manufacturer’s representative
agency in the commercial lighting
industry; he retired at age 80.
Brown was also an avid sailor, sang
in several groups, and was concert
master of the Woodlawn High
Orchestra. He is survived by a son
and two grandsons.
Bonnie Keiffer James ’50
of
Cullman, on June 30, 2015.
James served in the U.S. Army in
World War II. After an honorable
discharge in 1946, he earned his
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in
music from BSC. James’ first job
was band director at Hanceville
High School, where he started
its first band program. He then
moved to Cullman High School
in 1955, where he stayed until
retiring in 1979. He is survived by
two children, five grandchildren,
and a brother,
Hollis James ’54
of
Hartselle.
Pat P. Upton ’50
of Jasper, on
Dec. 6, 2015. Upton became a
lifelong educator and coach in
the Walker County and Jasper
City school systems. He earned a
master’s degree from the University
of Alabama. After retiring from
teaching, Upton taught tennis at
Musgrove Country Club and at his
home; he was inducted into the
Alabama Tennis Hall of Fame in
1988. He was also a well-known
singer. Upton is survived by his
wife, son, two step-children, and
nine grandchildren.
Maj. Bryan Dorroh Williams
’50
of Birmingham, on Aug. 29,
2015. Williams was manager and
jeweler at A&A Ash, Inc. in Vestavia
Hills. He had served in World War
II and the Korean Conflict in the
Strategic Air Command before his
retirement from the U.S. Air Force
in 1969. Williams was a member of
Dawson Memorial Baptist Church
and several civic organizations.
Survivors include several nieces.
Dr. Jack Brien Key Jr. ’50
of
Atlanta, on July 29, 2015. Key
taught history at several schools,
including the U.S. Naval Academy,
University of Alabama, Oglethorpe
University, and England’s Bristol
University. He obtained his master’s
degree from Vanderbilt University
and his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins
University. Key was a U.S. Army
Veteran. He is survived by many
friends. Memorial contributions
may be made to the Key-Windham
Scholarship that he endowed in
memory of his parents, J.H. Key
and Flowers Windham Key, to the
Office of Advancement at BSC, Box
549003, Birmingham, AL 35254.
Mary Ann Casimes Welsh ’51
of
Ormond Beach, Fla., on Oct. 11,
2015. Upon graduating Phi Beta
Kappa from BSC, she went to Duke
University’s graduate school to
study Latin American history. Her
husband’s work moved them to
numerous small towns across the
Southeast, where she taught school.
After earning a second master’s
from the University of Georgia, she
became a media specialist until
her retirement. She is survived by
her husband, four children, eight
grandchildren, and one great-
granddaughter.
Percy E. Sullivan Jr. ’52
of Hoover,
on March 2, 2015. Sullivan grew
up working in his family’s grocery
business and had careers with
both Kroger Foods and Associated
Grocers of Alabama. In his later
years, he worked as a warehouse
manager for hardware distributer
Moore-Handley Inc. He was a