University Times

A memorial service for Charles Gray Watson, a Pitt clinician and surgery professor since 1968, will be held this Sunday at 11 a.m. in Heinz Memorial Chapel.

The service also will honor his father and fellow surgeon, James Rose Watson, who died three months ago.

Charles Watson, 63, died of respiratory failure at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital on Jan. 16, 2000, four months after being admitted with a lung ailment.

Pitt surgery department chairperson Timothy Billiar called Watson a gifted endocrine surgeon and "our pre-eminent surgical educator," one who was admired and beloved by colleagues and students alike.

"Dr. Watson was an outstanding clinician and role model for our younger faculty and students," Billiar said. "Students and residents were always going to him for career advice, and not just ones from our department."

Last year's School of Medicine graduating class joined with alumni in dedicating the 1999 graduation "To Dr. Charles Watson: In appreciation of your dedication to teaching both the science and art of medicine to a generation of physicians."

"It's important to convey what a dominant force Dr. Watson was in the surgery department and what a loss his death represents for us," Billiar continued. "He was 63 years old, but he was still very active. Clearly, he had not reached the end of his productivity."

At the time of his death, Watson was vice chairperson for general surgery and a former vice chairperson for surgical education. In addition to his administrative and teaching duties, he practiced at Presbyterian University, Montefiore, Shadyside, Magee-Womens and the Veterans Administration Hospital.

Watson grew up in Rosslyn Farms and graduated from Phillips Andover Academy and Princeton before earning his medical degree from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1961. Following internships and training in Cleveland and Boston, Watson joined Pitt's surgery department in 1968.

He won numerous honors as a surgeon and teacher, including a 1992 Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award and three Golden Apple teacher-of-the-year awards, presented by medical school graduating classes.

Next year, Presbyterian University Hospital plans to open the Charles G. Watson Center for Surgical Education.

Watson is survived by his wife, Nancy; sons Gray of Lexington, Mass., and Andrew of Edgewood; a brother, William of Cambridge, Mass.; a sister, Ann Kaiser of Charlottesville, Va.; and one grandson.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Surgical Research Endowment Fund, University of Pittsburgh, c/o Surgery Department Office, Box 131, Scaife Hall, Pittsburgh 15261.