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Galen Bruce Toews, M.D., died at home on October 12, 2011, from complications of prostate cancer. He was 65.
Galen served as professor of internal medicine and chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan since 1987. Under his guidance, the division grew from 10 to 47 faculty members, bringing broad expertise in clinical care, teaching and research. His own research laboratory made many contributions toward understanding how lungs resist infection and avoid becoming scarred following injury. Within the University of Michigan, Galen served in many leadership roles, including associate dean for research and as a member of numerous advisory committees throughout the university.
Galen shared his wisdom generously as a consultant to many organizations, including National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Administration. He traveled internationally as a highly sought after visiting professor and consultant. Under his guidance, many of his trainees became leaders themselves in their chosen fields, having benefited greatly from his knowledge and vision. His enthusiasm, dedication and integrity were clearly evident to all who had the good fortune to work with him.
Galen was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, November 26, 1945, the oldest son of Rosa (Voth) Toews and David A. Toews, who was then serving in a Civilian Public Service (CPS) camp as a conscientious objector during World War II. One month after Galen was born, the Toews returned to their family farm in Kremlin, Oklahoma, where they lived for the remainder of Galen's childhood. Galen referred frequently to the many life lessons he learned while raising a flock of sheep on the farm.
He graduated from Kremlin High School, then from Tabor College in Hillsboro, KS, with a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry in 1967. He received his doctor of medicine from the University of Oklahoma in 1971 and his internal medicine and pulmonary/critical care training at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, where he served for eight years on the faculty before coming to Michigan.
In 1967, he married Anita Marie Regehr. They were married for 44 years and had one son, Mark. Galen was always a big part of Mark's life: fellow farmhand on trips to Oklahoma, loudest champion on the sidelines at his soccer games, best backpacking compatriot in Colorado. His grandkids, Henry, Lucas and Zadie, adored him, always rushing to jump into his arms and to reach into his pockets, where there was always a truck or horse in waiting.
Galen Toews lived a very full life. In addition to his academic and collaborative pursuits, he enjoyed traveling to all parts of the world, especially Ukraine, the birthplace of his grandparents. He cherished reading and collecting books, particularly on Russian Mennonite history. He loved to read about history, science, the West and farming. He resolved to "live artfully." He collected art, read poetry and expanded his successful scientific writing to creative prose. He savored fine food and wine. Above all, he was a great storyteller.
A keen naturalist, Galen loved hiking and walking in the mountains of Colorado at an altitude of 9,600 feet and above. He carried his wildflower books with him on every hike in order to identify anything he did not recognize and was creating a map of his two-acre Colorado property, locating all the indigenous wildflowers on the site. He was happiest at high altitudes. One of his favorite sayings was, "When in doubt, go up!"
Galen was a man of strong faith. He was a lifelong member of the Mennonite Church and was actively involved at Shalom Community Church, a Mennonite and Church of the Brethren congregation in Ann Arbor, MI. He embraced the Mennonite ethics of peace and justice and intentionally worked to create a pulmonary division based on the Mennonite ideal of community where people collaborated and worked together.
He also was a founding member of Dallas Peace Center (1981), a non-profit organization dedicated to peace education, peace research and action from a Christian perspective. This venture was one of his proudest accomplishments.
Galen is survived by his wife, Anita; son, Mark Galen (Regan Graves) Toews; three grandchildren, Henry Galen Toews, Lucas Ames Toews, Zadie Matilda Toews of Brooklyn, New York; and two brothers, Arrel (Kathy) Toews of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Myron (Barbara) Toews of Omaha, Nebraska. They will all miss this man who was full of life and filled with humor.
A celebration of Galen's life was Monday, October 17, in Ann Arbor, and a reception followed at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library on the north campus of the University of Michigan.
Galen was buried October 24, 2011, in the Valley Brook Cemetery on the north edge of Breckenridge, CO, beside the Blue River and below Galen and Anita's mountain home - this historic Victorian cemetery dates to 1882 and is a very beautiful and peaceful resting place for his earthly body.
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