James Lewis "Seamus" McKenna M.D.

McKenna, James Lewis (Seamus), MD A brilliant mind now silent, a kind and gentle soul now sleeps, yet his slightly "low brow" sense of humor will live on through family, friends and colleagues both here and in his beloved Ireland. Dr. James Lewis (Seamus) McKenna passed away on Saturday, May 17, 2014, with MaryAnn, his loving wife of nearly sixty years, by his side. Born in Milbank, SD, to L. Hurley and Irma McKenna on October 25, 1928, Seamus grew up in Wilmot, SD until moving to the Twin Cities to attend the College of St. Thomas. He went on to earn his M. D. From Marquette University School of Medicine. He and MaryAnn were married in December of 1954. They spent the first two years of their marriage living in Alaska where Seamus, a Captain in the US Air Force, served as Chief of Medicine at Ladd Air Force Base. Upon their return to Milwaukee, he was appointed Chief Medical Resident at Milwaukee Country Hospital. It was there that he began his specialization in Hematology with a U.S. Public Health Service Trainee Fellowship. He began his career in the Twin Cities at Abbott Hospital in 1960, treating patients for thirty years at Minneapolis Internal Medicine Associates and Minnesota Oncology Hematology, P. A. Seamus was known for the way he served his patients, showing as much care and concern for the spiritual well being as he did for their physical health. He was famous for providing his patients with a "Sunshine Moment", a joke or one of his Irish stories, at each appointment. After retiring from practice at age 71, Seamus volunteered at Allina's Home Care Hospice and Palliative Care organization, leaving that work after nine years as the first recipient of the Allina Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation's Volunteer Award in May, 2008. Seamus was a Full Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Minnesota and authored nine medical papers published in The American Journal of Physiology and The New England Journal of Medicine. Seamus was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Shirley, and his brother David. He is survived by his wife MaryAnn, and four children: MaryKate (Richard), Sean, Kevin (Karen) and Deirdre; five grandchildren: Michael, Jimmy, Nicole, Kella (Bryan) and Bucky; brother Dr. Robert McKenna (Jane), and sister Elinor Temple. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 23rd at 11 a.m. at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, followed by a time of fellowship and remembrance. Private interment at Fort Snelling Cemetery will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Landmark Society of the Basilica of St. Mary for its maintenance and restoration. Post Script: Passing on to Heaven with Seamus on May 17th was his infamous "cousin" Dermot McDermott and his long-suffering wife Maeve. Rest in Peace, Seamus. You will be missed. www.Washburn-McReavy.com Davies Chapel 612-377-2203

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James Lewis "Seamus" McKenna M.D.

May 17, 2014

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