Dr. Thomas A. Kurrus
March 21, 1941 - February 12, 2019
Thomas A. Kurrus died Tuesday, February 12, 2019, at home surrounded by family and friends after a 5-month battle with brain cancer.
Tom was born March 21, 1941, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Mable and Charles Kurrus. He was the youngest of 4 siblings and spent his childhood in Belleville, Illinois.
In 1958, Tom graduated from Belleville Township High School in Belleville, Illinois, where he met the love of his life, Sarah Grace Becker. Their first official date was the Junior Prom, although Tom was in love with her since their Freshman year of high school.
Tom went on to college at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, where he was the president of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, President of the Junior Class, a prominent member of the track team and captain of the tennis team. He graduated in May 1962 and married his long-time sweetheart, Sarah on June 23, 1962.
As a newlywed, Tom started medical school at the University of Illinois and graduated in 1966. During that time, he and Sarah had two children, Jeffrey Anton and Ellen Suzanne. To help provide for his family, he drove a bus for the Chicago Transit Authority and got lost along his route several times only to be rescued by an elderly woman who clearly knew the route better than he did.
Upon graduation, Tom did a one-year internship at University of Illinois Research and Education Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, before being drafted in 1967 during the Vietnam War. He became a Captain in the US Army in Fort Greely, Alaska, until 1969.
After his family’s stay in Alaska, Tom finished his medical training at the University of Utah where he specialized in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. He went into private practice as an Infectious Disease Doctor and worked at St. Mark’s Hospital for 43 years. Tom eventually became President of the Medical Staff (twice), Chief Medical Officer and served on the St. Mark’s Hospital Board of Trustees for many years. Just before retirement, he took on an additional challenge and helped the hospital implement a digital records program called Epic.
Some of his other accomplishments include teaching about infectious diseases at The Veteran’s Administration Hospital and the University of Utah, Hospital, writing a chapter on Meningitis in a medical text book and he was a founding member of the Rocky Mountain Pus Club.
Tom had a very sharp wit and was always joking and finding the humor in life. He was an incredible athlete and loved outdoor exercise. He held a firm belief that recreational equipment should never be included in the household budget – it should be in its own separate category. His numerous talents and hobbies include biking, skiing, golf, tennis, woodworking, playing the trumpet, gardening and his many animals. He was truly a jack of all trades and a Renaissance man.
Above all his accomplishments, Tom was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend and will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sarah; his son Jeffrey Kurrus (Stephanie Woolley) of Salt Lake City, Utah; daughter Ellie Kurrus (Alastair Cairns) of Sag Harbor, NY; his 5 grandchildren; Sarah, Adam and Leah Jannetti; Andrew and Matthew Kurrus (mother Meg Lunt); sister Suzanne Smith of Placida, FL; brother Charles Kurrus of Belleville, IL; and his parrot Leroy; cat Meow; and two geese Ernie and Belle.
Tom had a special passion for the homeless – both humans and animals. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of the following causes that were important to Tom. Cathedral Church of St. Mark, www.stmarksutah.org ,The Road Home www.theroadhome.org or The Humane Society of Utah, www.utahhumane.org.
The funeral will be held at The Cathedral Church of St. Mark, 231 East 100 South, Salt Lake City, Utah, at 11:00AM, Saturday February 16, 2019. A reception will immediately follow the service in the Dean’s Hall on the Cathedral premises.
In Loving Memory
Farewell Tom. You were truly one of a kind and an amazing person that I was fortunate to meet so many years ago. I will miss you so.
Dearest Sarah, Jeff , Ellie and Family, My deepest condolence. What a wonderful person Tom was. He was a great physician, teacher, leader and a friend to all he met. We shall miss his humor and friendship. It was a honor to know and work with him at St Mark's Hospital. May all the memories and happy time assist you during this difficult time.
Sarah Plast from the past. I worked with you on 3N at the University of Utah. You were such fun to work a shift with. I never got the pleasure of meeting Tom but I'm sure he was just as nice as you. I am sorry for your loss and want you to know my thoughts are with you.
I am truly sorry for your loss. My Mother{Mary Grandstaff} was a patient of his for many years. He always treated her with great kindness. They always laughed and shared many shady jokes. Mom loved his special ties and they discussed Mom's parrot Fred and Leroy on every visit. She passed in 2006 but I made sure he got his Christmas wine. I will always remember him as a one of a kind and very special Doctor
What a deep sadness for your family and everyone else who so enjoyed Tom. Tom was not just a great doctor but a delightful person that the world will miss. Condolences to all of you, especially you Sarah. We are thinking of you.
I am penning my reflections of Tom. I believe that I first met Tom and Sarah in 1999 when I discovered the Pus Club and found that the members met my standards - not stuffy, full of piss & vinegar, reasonably hard drinking, and interested in learning and sharing clinical medicine. Tom was always welcoming, fun, and intellectually stimulating. He knew how to live. I suspect that Sarah had something to do with that knowledge. I was able to see him at Pus Clubs and in between through the good fortune of having a daughter in medicine at the University of Utah for six years. What a blessing it has been. My biggest regret, not going with Tom & Sarah on a Normandy tour last year. True to form, when Tom received the diagnosis of brain cancer last September he openly shared his thoughts and concerns with me. Over the ensuing months he gave me insight into what a terminal illness is really like. It is never easy to chat with a dear friend who you both know will soon be gone. Tom made it relatively easy. His humor as always softened the landing. In one of his more pensive moments he told me to make sure that his memory endures by celebrating our friendship with a Moose Drool or two from time to time. That will be an easy lift for me. I know that our fellow Pus Club members share our loss. My wife and my kids feel similarly. We all send our condolences to Sarah and family. Tom was a remarkable gentleman. I suspect that he made us all better people by knowing him. Peter McKellar
I had no idea that Tom was ill with brain cancer. I was especially close to Tom because he grew up in Illinois and did part of his training in St. Louis. My dad was a general surgeon in Chicago who grew up in southcentral Ill. We shared stories about being displaced Midwesterners living the good life in the Rocky Mountains. I’ll miss Tom’s wit and laughter a lot. Respectfully, Jim Hamilton
As members of the Rocky Mountain Pus Club, almost 40 years ago, Gracia and I became friends and colleagues of Tom and Sarah Kurrus. Tom embodied the soul of the Pus Club, which Peter Mckellar aptly describes as full of "piss and vinegar". Tom was the self-anointed protector of the club's desire to be free from cant and pomposity. His wit, charm, and intellectual curiosity were renowned among the membership. We are sad that Tom is gone, but are blessed that he enriched the lives of all who have known him. R.I.P., old friend.
I want to share some personal remembrances of Tom going back to 1970 when I first met him. This is a letter I wrote to Tom while he was still alive............. “Dear Tom, October 31, 2018 John Kriesel told me of your illness. I’m so sorry for you, Sarah and your family. Woody and Chuck said that you are on hospice but are blessed with your ever-present sense of humor – a good antidote for illness. This is truly Tom Kurrus. I’m writing to thank you. I would do this in person but I can’t. In 1970 I took my first clinical rotation as a third-year clerk on the medical service at University Hospital. You were the resident on the team. I can’t remember the intern but I remember you as if it was yesterday. Each morning on work rounds you would question and examine every patient without fail. I couldn’t have asked for a better example of medical practice at its best. Every patient excluding none. I’ve always remembered this and have yet to find a better example. During that same time, we had a patient with a puzzling anemia. It was my first bone marrow aspirate and taken from the sternum. At professor’s rounds with Dr. Wintrobe he saw things differently and pronounced that bone marrow examination was not necessary. Whereupon he lit into you mercilessly since you were the team leader. Again, the example you set was without equal. You weren’t defensive. You didn’t make excuses. You didn’t blame anyone else. Rather, you quietly listened taking in all he said as a learning experience. This stoical response defused his wrath. This is so vivid in my memory as if it was yesterday. Your composure was just nothing short of stunning. I thank you (and Sarah too) for all the energy you gave to the RMPC. And, for the many wonderful dinners at your house for the Spring meeting. Your wisdom, the cases you presented, and the humor of your remarks endlessly made the meetings so popular for everyone. Often there is a subliminal competition between doctors (especially in academics) which lends a kind of tension during case conferences. Your congeniality and humor, the hallmark of your personality, ablated this attitude and made for comfortable atmosphere fostering easy going comments and discussion. RMPC will never be the same without you and you will be dearly missed. Thank you for saving my sister, Elizabeth, from death due to pneumococcal pneumonia, pneumococcal empyema and pneumococcal bacteremia caused by a penicillin-resistant strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae. What more could anyone write? I’m so sorry, Tom. I regret not being with you fishing the Wyoming Green River, working with you more on cases (remember Latisha Kent and her splenic, liver, retroperitoneal and lung abscesses) and just learning from your wisdom and enjoying your conversation. Yours ever, Don" What a star we have lost! God bless Tom and his family, Yours, Don Granger
We met Tom when he was hanging around with John Stanchfield so many years ago. He help our son John and we came to know him. The other individuals covered many of the things we would also say about Tom. He was really top-notch. Rest in peace Tom. Peace be with the Kurrus family.
Dr. Tom Kurrus My Hero, I was admitted to St. Marks Hospital in April of 2003. I had been very sick for about a year and a half. I had seen several doctors and they didn't have time or just weren't interested in finding out what was wrong with me. My little sister was a nurse at St. Marks and introduced me to Dr. Tom Kurrus. He was intrigued and accepted me as his patient. I spent the next 10 days in the hospital having a battery of tests and procedures done. Dr. Kurrus was by my side throughout. Over the next half year I saw him several times a month. Long story short, he saved my life. I have never met another doctor before or since that has treated me with the respect and compassion that Dr. Kurrus did. I stopped by his office a couple of years ago just to say Hi. It was good to see him and see that he still had his wicked since of humor. More than just a great doctor, I was always proud to consider him a Friend. He truly was a Hero to me. Friends Always, John Hancey
Dr Tom Kurrus. A legend at St Marks, a hero to many and a trusted physician for 3 generations in our family. He was my moms doctor, my grandmother's doctor and my doctor all at once and for a great many years., I had no idea he passed away. We moved to SLC in the mid 70's, he became my moms doctor immediately and remained so until he retired. 35 or more years later. My mom had so much respect and trust in Dr. Kurrus, she sent all her relatives to him....and when I was old enough to leave the pediatrician's office, he became my doctor as well and helped me thru many different medical situations. Jeff I am so sorry to hear of his passing. I'm sorry I didn't know sooner. I just stumbled upon this today. I will let my mom know. Both of us were also your patients Jeff. I guess it's a generational thing. My mom always seemed to enjoy saying the surname similarity with her maiden name...Helen Kouris.
In Loving Memory
