DR. MARVIN J. TOWARNICKY

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DR. MARVIN J. TOWARNICKY Dr. Marvin J. Towarnicky, 70, longtime resident of Fessenden, North Dakota, physician, passed away on Friday, January 28, 2000 at the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd in New Rockford, North Dakota. His funeral will be held Tuesday, February 1 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Cecelia Catholic Church in Harvey, North Dakota. Visitation will be held Monday, January 31 from 12:00 noon until 5:00 p.m. at the Nelson Funeral Home in Fessenden followed by a prayer service Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. at St. Cecelia Catholic Church. A committal service will be held Wednesday, February 2 at 9:00 a.m. at the Chapel Lawn Funeral Home in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Marvin J. Towarnicky, son of Michael and Pauline (Melnyk) Towarnicky, was born June 27, 1929 in Winnipeg, Canada. He grew up in Winnipeg and graduated from Sir Isaac Newton High School, Salutatorian. He graduated from University of Manitoba with honours, majoring in biology and thermodynamics. He was accepted to the University of Manitoba School of Medicine where he graduated in 1955. He completed a family practice and surgical residency at the St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. He was then appointed associate professor of Anatomy at the University of Manitoba School of Medicine where he taught gross and microscopic anatomy. In 1955 he married Barbara Sewell, his loving wife of 45 years, at St. Vladimire and Olga Cathedral, Winnipeg. In 1956, after passing his United States Medical Boards, he was recruited to Fessenden, where he practiced medicine at the Fessenden Medical Center until retiring in 1989. In 1977 Dr. Towarnicky helped establish the Mid State Clinic in Harvey, and was instrumental in obtaining a Robert Woods Foundation grant which was awarded for the establishment of the clinic. He practiced at Mid State Clinic from 1978 until 1981 after which he returned to private practice at the Fessenden Medical Center. He was an attending physician with the St. Aloisius Hospital in Harvey where he was the chief of medical staff for many years. In 1978, through St. Aloisius Hospital and Mid State Clinic, he was instrumental in setting up satellite clinics in Selz, McClusky, Sykeston and Fessenden. His new concept of satellite clinics would soon be adopted by a number of medical facilities throughout North Dakota. For two terms Dr. Towarnicky was a member of the North Dakota Board of Medical Examiners and served as chairman of the board. He was a member of the North Dakota Medical Association, American Medical Association and the Lake Region Medical Society of which he was past president. Until his retirement he served as Wells County Health Officer and Wells County Coroner. In 1978 he served as chairman of the board of the North Dakota Health Care Review, and in 1980 was appointed medical director of the board. He held this position until 1989. He served his community as a charter member of the Fessenden Kiwanis, President of the Fessenden Civic & Commerce, member of the Harvey Eagles Club and Bismarck Elks. He was a member and past president of the Fessenden School Board. Dr. Towarnicky is a recipient of the Governors Award to Service of the State of North Dakota, and has received special recognition from Presidents Reagan and Bush for outstanding service to the state. He has received the North Dakota Medical Society Outstanding Service Award as well as numerous other recognitions and awards. Following his retirement in 1989, they continued to reside in Fessenden. He is survived by his wife Barbara; three sons, Michael (Laura) of New Bern, NC, James (Tammy) of Mineralwells, WV and Edward of Auburn Hills, MI; two daughters, Mary (Jim) duBois of Minneapolis, MN and Nancy Towarnicky of Vancouver, WA; eight grandchildren; three brothers, Walter of Waldorf, MD, William of Winnipeg and Erni of Morden.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 30, 2000