Dr. David G. McLone – ISPN President 1996-1997
1938-2026
Dr. David McLone, known to all of us as Dave, was a highly regarded neurosurgeon and one of the most significant contributors to the field of pediatric neurosurgery.
He received his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1965 and later earned a Ph.D. from Northwestern University. His clinical and research interests centered on the embryology of neural tube defects and the surgical treatment of conditions such as occult spina bifida, myelomeningocele, and tethered cord syndrome. His work advanced the understanding and management of these complex congenital conditions, and countless children and families benefited from it.
Early in his career, Dave was a partner with Tony Raimondi. In that role he witnessed the early formation of the ISPN, and much of what he learned there carried over into his own leadership. He led a small group of North American pediatric neurosurgeons in the creation of the American Board of Pediatric Neurosurgery, and he was a founding member of the American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons (ASPN). Our subspecialty is stronger and more rigorous because of his vision and persistence.
Dave was an outstanding leader. He knew how to point you in the right direction, and then he let you do your job. He was never looking over your shoulder, but he certainly expected you to deliver what you said you could. When a reprimand was needed, he had a gentle way of giving it, which was often in stark contrast to the stern demeanor he sometimes wore.
Dave and I first met at the 1980 ISPN meeting in Marseille. Despite that serious outward manner, he was one of the funniest people I have ever known. He always hid a little smirk, and he never failed to have a new joke to tell you. I will miss that smirk and those jokes, and I will miss him. Our families got to know each other well. Susy and I often traveled with Dave and Norene, both for conferences as well as for our own enjoyment. He loved golf and fishing so our travels often centered around those activities.
Above all, Dave was a devoted family man. He and Norene were married on August 18,1962, and they built a family that was the center of his life. He is survived by his children, Kelly, Mary, Paul, Michael (Suzanne), and Shannon; his grandchildren, Molly, Will, Jack, Meg, Sam, Owen, and David; and his great-grandchildren, Henry, Libby, and James.
I miss you my friend. The ISPN misses you, and the world is full of thousands who feel the same.
Marion L. “Jack” Walker, ISPN President 2003-2004
