Surnames: Ozturk, Stott, Kojosoy, White, Zaino, Lepow

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) April 8, 2009

Ozturk, Dr. Cahit H. (15 May 1919 - 6 April 2009)

Dr. Cahit H. Ozturk, MD, passed away peacefully in his home in Neillsville, Monday, April 6, 2009 after a long illness.

Dr. Ozturk was born in Mardin, Turkey, May 15, 1919, to Dr. Rifat and Fatima Ozturk. He grew up in Mardin and attended middle school in Istanbul. He graduated from the University of Istanbul Medical School in 1943 and served in the Turkish Army as physician for two years before returning to Mardin to practice medicine along with his father from 1945 to 1952. During this time he was very involved in community affairs. He organized youth groups, served as a soccer coach, organized a women’s club for the appreciation of music and the arts and took a very active role in politics. In addition, he was instrumental in establishing a free medical clinic for the disadvantaged in the Mardin community.

While pursuing his active practice in Mardin, he became friends with an American missionary Raymond White. It was through Raymond’s encouragement Dr. Ozturk came to the United States to pursue surgical training in January of 1953 at the University of Nebraska in Omaha. He was accepted by Emory University in Atlanta to join a two-year surgical program working with top surgeons at Crawford Long Hospital from 1954-1956. While in Atlanta he met and married Mary (Stott) Ozturk. After completing his work in Atlanta, he and Mary moved to New York City. In New York he continued his intessive surgical training for the next two years and then completed one year of pathology training at Lincoln Hospital (1956 to1959). While at Lincoln Hospital he worked with Drs. Zaino and Lepow, conducting research on the muscular structure of the lower esophagus resulting in several research papers, a published book ("The Pharnygoesophageal Sphincter," 1970) several conference presentations and an exhibit at the American Medial Association Convention in New York.

Dr. Ozturk practiced medicine and served as the medical examiner in the Bronx, New York, from 1961 to 1967. After being actively recruited by the Neillsville Clinic, he joined the clinic as a surgeon in 1967. In 1970 he was accepted into the prestigious American College of Surgeons. Dr. Ozturk practiced at Memorial Medical Center until 1979 when he opened his own family practice. He retired in 2000, following more than 50 years in medicine and 30 years of medical practice serving the Neillsville community.

In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Ozturk pursued additional interests in drawing, painting, woodworking, gardening, photography, music and reading history and philosophy. He also hosted lamb roasts several times a year for family and friends. Dr. Ozturk and Mary recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with friends and relatives in October of 2008.

Dr. Ozturk was dedicated to the practice of medicine and to the welfare of his patients and was a loving husband and father. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ozturk of Neillsville; two daughters, Suzan Ozturk and Emmina Ozturk, both of Minneapolis, MN; his sisters-in-law, Emel Ozturk and Meral Ozturk; several nieces and nephews in Istanbul, Turkey; his niece, Gonul Kojosoy of Milwaukee; his grand nephews, Tumay (Shannon) Kojosoy of Minneapolis and Turkaye (Canan) Kojosoy of Istanbul.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Thursday, April 9, 2009, at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville. A private funeral service will be held at the Gesche Funeral Home. Interment will be in the Neillsville City Cemetery.

Condolences may be sent online to www.geschefh.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following organizations or a charity of your choice: Neillsville Memorial Medical Center for cardiac equipment; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation www.jdrf.org Go to "Make a Donation" link; American Stroke Association (a division of the American Heart Association) www.strokeassociation.org; International Society for Stem Cell Research www.isscr.org/public/donations.htmwww.friendsofisscr.org/waytogive.htm.