Francis Joseph Major, Jr. MD

Francis J Major, MD

1933-2016

Frank Major passed away peacefully at his home on Big Pine Key, FL, on Tuesday, October 18, 2016, the Feast of St. Luke, the Beloved Physician.  He was 2 days shy of his 83rd birthday.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Paula Major, 14 years ago. He is survived by his children Frank, Tom (Traci), John, Jim (Teresa), and Jeanne (Hugh), as well as his grandchildren Caitlyn (Ross) Shuket, Erin, Emily, Tom (Anastasia), Bill, Ellen, Mary, Lucy, Michael, David, Katie, Jimmy, Charlie, Danny, and one great grandchild, Garrett.  He is also survived by his beloved sister, Mary Anne Hardy

His accomplishments in life were many and profound, but nothing came before his being Husband, Dad, Granddad, Great Granddad, Bubba, or Uncle Frank. 

His driving impulse seemed to be to care for others. He was proud of his Jesuit education and his time on the basketball team at Georgetown, “when Jesuits were saints.”  He was something of a pioneer as a physician in the field of Gynecologic Oncology, becoming the first board-certified GYN Oncologist in Colorado.  He served as Chief of Staff at Presbyterian/St Luke’s Hospital and was Commanding Officer of the Army Reserve Unit at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center.  He and Mom worked for many years together at P/SL, she as a nurse and a founder of the Society of Gynecologic Nurse Oncologists. After Mom died, he traveled on his own with Medicine in Action and other groups on medical missions to help patients and train other doctors and students in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Tanzania. 

He was self-reliant in many ways but always seemed to think of others first.  He always cut his own hair and once pulled out his own tooth.  He never wanted anyone to stay in the hospital, because “people get sick in hospitals.” 

No matter what, he always had time for his family and was happiest when he was at the dinner table or ensconced in his recliner watching a game with kids, grandkids, and guests.  In fact, he rediscovered cooking later in life and often insisted on your trying and liking one of his specialty dishes.  The ingredients always included Kerrygold butter (produced, in part, by cows owned by his Irish Cullinane cousins in County Kerry). 

He loved the Hardys, Mullers, and Harrisons as his own because they were his own.  He was always happy to hear of their growing families.

Winter or Summer, his favorite way to rest was to go to Steamboat with family and friends.  He started to take the family camping there in 1970 and decided it was nicer to camp under a roof with heat and water, so began to build the cabin in 1972.  In the process, he made dear lifelong friends there and volunteered with the National Ski Patrol at the ski area.

As the winters grew colder and breathing got a bit more difficult, he began to use Big Pine Key as his base of operations.  In part, this was to lure more friends and family to visit him, but he really enjoyed the pace of life there and being able to enjoy an afternoon breeze so close to the beauty of the ocean.  He was also grateful to be near dear friends there, as well.  He was grateful, too, to Fr. Randy and everyone at St. Peter’s church, which was also home.

If you find yourself sad and missing him, as we all do, we suggest you remember him by having a nice dinner with your loved ones.  Buy some Kerrygold butter (and only Kerrygold butter), join in a chorus of “Hail to the Redskins,” or gripe about the Broncos’ inconsistency on offense.  Most important, say a prayer for him and his family.  Know that, as he was enjoying another sunset from his porch these last several months, odds are that he was praying for you.

Finally, take his advice which is still being given out by his voicemail greeting:  “Enjoy your day because you never know when you’ll have another day like this one. God love ya.”

We’ll celebrate a Vigil on Sunday, October 30, 5:30pm at All Souls Catholic Church, 4950 S Logan St., Englewood, CO 80113. The funeral mass is the next day at All Souls, 10:00am with burial at Ft Logan National Cemetery at 1:30pm. 

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