John J. Tansey

Dr. John Jack Tansey, M.D., 89 of Ottawa Hills, passed away Saturday April 24, 2010 at Sunset House. He was born August 24, 1920 in Toledo to John and Angela OHara Tansey of Boyle and Roscommon, Ireland. After graduating from Libbey High School, he attended the University of Toledo for one year. He and his family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where he continued his studies at the University of Michigan where he received both his undergraduate and medi-cal degrees. He joined the U.S. Navy during World War II as a Naval Medical Officer on the USS Bolivar and also was a physician with the 1st. Marine Division at Tientsin Tsing Tao, China. After the war he trained at Childrens Hospital of Detroit in pediatrics for Three years, while also an instructor at Wayne State University. In 1949, Dr. Tansey returned to Toledo and began a pediatric practice with Dr. John Burnett. Dr. Tansey treated many children with polio well before his public health professor, Dr. Jona Saulk, had invented the polio vaccine. Many of those patients are alive today due to his extraordinary efforts. In 1950 he was recalled to the Korean War and was sent to Moffett Field Air Sta-tion in Mountain View, California as a flight surgeon. He was released from duty a year later. Returning to his practice in Toledo, he was joined by Drs. Raymond Buganski Richard Roberts and Kiron Torsekar after the death of Dr. Burnett in 1954. Dr. Tansey was an attending physician at Toledo Hospital, St. Vincents, St. Charles and Mercy Hospitals. He was not only Chief of Pediatrics at Mercy Hospital from 1955-1981, but was also Chief-of-Staff from 1967-1969. He was also on the teaching staff of the Medical College of Ohio. Drs. Tansy, Buganski, Roberts, and Torsekar established one of the largest pediatric practices in the Toledo area and were well known for providing quality medical care to the many children they treated. Dr. Tansey retired from the practice of medicine in the mid-1990s. Dr.Tansey belonged to many organizations, including Phi Rho Sigma medical fraternity, Phi Kappa Phi honorary scientific fraternity, Ohio State Medical Asso-ciation, the Academy of Pediatrics, Gesu Church and the Lobster Group whose members are among his dearest friends. Dr. Tansey was also a member of The Inverness Club where he golfed and The Toledo Tennis Club where he was an avid tennis player into his 70s. Dr. Tansey taught his children to play tennis and helped sustain St. Johns High Schools tennis program. Dr. Tansey was preceded in death by his brother Joseph and sister, Gertrude Cress. Surviving is his wife Margaret who he met in Chicago and married in 1950 while in the service; daughters JoAnn Angarola and Barbara Nicholls; son Scott Tansey; special niece Colleen Tansey David Rodriguez and 7 grandchildren. His steadfast devotion to his family, friends, profession and faith were the hall-marks of his life for which he will always be remembered. Death leaves a heart-ache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal. Visitation will be held at Walker Funeral Home 5155 Sylvania Ave. west of Corey Rd. on Tuesday from 4-8 PM. A mass celebrating Dr. Tanseys remarkable life and accomplishments will be held on Wednesday at Gesu Church 2049 Parkside Boulevard followed by interment at Joy Cemetery in Ottawa Hills. In lieu of flow-ers, donations to Ashanti Hospice 4020 Indian Rd. Toledo, OH 43606 or the Toledo Area Humane Society 1920 Indian Wood Circle Maumee, OH 43537 are appreciated. The Tansey family wishes to express their deepest appreciation to Dr. Chris Bates and to the caring and supportive nurses and staff at Sunset House and Ashanti Hospice. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.walkerfuneralhomes.com.