WEB EXTRA~
August L. “Larry” Jung MD’61, a pediatrician who pioneered neonatal care in the Intermountain West, died January 3 with his family by his side following a courageous battle with heart disease. He was 75.
August Larry Jung was born Dec. 11, 1935, to August “Gus” and Johanna Jung, who ran a pumpernickel bakery in Chicago, Ill., where he had a loving and adventurous childhood. To pursue a career in forestry, Larry came to Utah State University, where he met Joy Zilles. They married Sept. 21, 1956. When their first daughter was born with a serious illness, Jung became interested in the needs of newborns and switched to medicine. In 1961, he graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine and then completed a residency in pediatrics. In 1967, he took a six-month fellowship to study under one of the pioneers of neonatology, Lula Lubchenco, at the University of Colorado. The following year, under Jung’s direction, the U of U opened its NICU—one room with the capacity to care for five babies. The unit was the only one between Denver and the West Coast, and Phoenix and Canada. Equipment was bought in small amounts or borrowed from other areas of University Hospital and medical equipment companies. Jung and his nurses sold doughnuts to raise funds for a heart-rate monitor. Jung became the U of U NICU director, and 10 years after establishing it, oversaw the opening of the NICU at Primary Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) in Salt Lake City, which played an important role in the relationship between the U of U neonatology division and PCMC’s parent corporation, Intermountain Health Care. After stepping aside as division chief in 1999, Jung continued as a professor of pediatrics. In 2004, he was honored with a $1.25 million presidential endowed chair named in his honor. He lectured across the nation and mentored many, finishing his legendary career in 2009.
“Larry was responsible for many advances that impact NICU care today,” says Edward B. Clark, professor and chair of pediatrics at the University of Utah and a longtime friend and colleague of Jung’s. “Early in his career, Larry and his colleagues pioneered ventilators and automated analysis of blood gases, as well as approaches to resuscitate babies. His spirit of leadership, innovation, training, and research still drive the Division of Neonatology’s academic pursuits.”
Larry was a very talented man who excelled at everything he put his hand to, including photography, painting, sculpting, and taxidermy. He had a passion for the great outdoors, fishing, camping, and hunting with friends and family. His sweetheart, children, and grandchildren were the joy of his life.
Larry is survived by Joy, his wife of 55 years; his mother Johanna; three children, sons Larry Jr. (Beth), Mike (Robbin) and daughter Susan; and nine grandchildren, Holden, Heidi, Alyssa, Kelsey, Brenden, Hayden, Austen, Tanner, and Abby. He was preceded in death by his father, oldest daughter Christine, mother-in-law, and father-in-law. In lieu of flowers, family suggests contributions to the U of U Neonatal Care Center, which can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank in the name of August L. Jung M.D. (NBICU U of U.) Interment [took place] at Farmington City Cemetery. Condolences may be shared at www.lindquistmortuary.com
Edited from the notice published in the Deseret News on January 6, 2011, and the U of U news release.
Brigham D. Madsen BA’38, a prominent Utah historian and longtime chronicler of the American West, died December 24, 2010, from causes incident to age. He was 96.
Brigham Dwaine Madsen (“Brig” as he was known to his friends, or “Dwaine” as he was called by his relatives) was born in Magna, Utah, on October 21, 1914, to Brigham and Lydia Cushing Madsen. The oldest of five children, he spent most of his formative years in Pocatello, Idaho, where he learned the building business from his father. He graduated from Pocatello High School in 1932 and received a junior college degree from what was then Idaho State College in 1934. He then served an LDS mission in rural Tennessee and North Carolina, where he built two modest chapels. He graduated from the University of Utah, where he met his future wife, Betty McAllister. Immediately after their marriage in 1939, the couple moved to California, where Brig pursued graduate studies in American history at the University of California, Berkeley, supporting his growing family first by working as a night watchman and later by building “Victory Ships” at the Oakland shipyards during the early days of World War II. Brig joined the Army as a training officer at Fort Benning Officer Candidate School, and later served as a first lieutenant in the Infantry in the European theater. At the close of the war he served on the general staff as chief of the Historical Section of the 3rd Army. That appointment enabled him to travel all over post-war Europe collecting important documents, interviewing major figures, and attending important events. Among these were the Nuremburg trials, which greatly affected his view of the world.
Brig returned to Berkeley at the end of his service to receive a doctorate in 1948, focusing his dissertation on “The Bannock of Idaho” because of his interest in Native American history and that of his childhood home. He taught history in the fledgling History Department at Brigham Young University from 1948-54, when he resigned his university appointment and returned full time to the family building business, serving as president when Madsen Brothers Construction Company was formally incorporated in 1957. These were, in Brig’s words “years of intellectual famine,” and he was moved to return to the academic world of research and teaching in 1961, taking an appointment at Utah State University. While there, Brig became involved in training Peace Corps volunteers and moved to Washington, where he served as an assistant director of training for the Peace Corps and, later, director of training for the VISTA program. Brig said the high point in his life was proudly joining Martin Luther King, Jr.’s March on Washington and listening to his “I have a dream” speech, “the greatest speech I ever heard in my life.”
Brig’s administrative experience, together with his background running a construction company, led to a series of positions in the University of Utah administration after Brig returned to academia in 1965. He served first as dean of Continuing Education, then as deputy academic vice president, before spending several years as administrative vice president and director of libraries. He also served as a professor in the History Department, teaching courses as time allowed. He longed to return to teaching and writing full time, and, after a brief stint as chair of the department, was finally able to do so in 1975. He was successful at both, twice winning the university’s Distinguished Teaching Award and publishing 11 books between 1979 and 1986. Two of the latter received the best nonfiction book of the year award, given by Westerners International. Due to his significant research and writing about the Shoshoni Indians, he was proud to be named an honorary member of the Northern Shoshoni Indian tribe. He was also instrumental in the founding of the Utah Humanities Council. After retiring in 1984, Brig continued to write and lecture well into his 90s. He received an honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities from the University of Utah in 1998.
In 1997, Brig’s wife Betty died after a lingering illness. He was remarried several years later to Lola Kastler. Soon after their marriage, she unexpectedly passed away. In 2003, he married Mary Harriman. Brig is survived by his wife Mary; his daughter Karen Loos, Alameda, Calif.; his son David and wife Evelyn of Austin, Texas; daughter Linda and husband John Dunning, Cottonwood Creek, Utah; son Steve and wife Deb of Carlsbad, Calif.; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; and by Mary’s son Bill and daughter Mary Lynda Smith. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the University of Utah Department of History Teaching Assistants Fund or the Utah Humanities Council.
Edited from the notice published in The Salt Lake Tribune on 12/29/10.