AOAO Past President, 1898-1990
By Steven J. Heithoff, DO, FAOAO
Editor-in-Chief
This inaugural issue of the renewed JAOAO is in honor and memory of Dr. Daniel Morrison, who was Editor of the original journal published in the late 1980’s. Dr. Morrison’s love of academics was the pure driving force in those years and he nearly single-handedly produced these issues.
It is my particular honor to follow in his Editor footsteps as he was my trainer (and Program Director) at my orthopedic residency at Garden City Hospital (Michigan). Dr. Morrison was so committed to osteopathic orthopedic education that he was involved with the MSU Consortium until literally a week before his death.
Originally planning to specialize in primary care, Dr. Morrison’s interests changed to orthopedics during his Internship at Garden City. He became the third orthopedic resident at Garden City under Lew Mrstik, DO and stayed on as staff from 1972 until 2011 when he was diagnosed with cancer.
Dan Morrison was a DO pioneer in pediatric orthopedics. He was the first DO Fellow at A.I duPont Institute under Dean McKewan, MD, where they established a life-long professional and personal friendship. He paved the way for decades of future DO resident rotations at duPont.
A testament to his influence, the scientific paper with the highest score in pediatrics is given the Daniel Morrison, DO Award for Pediatrics each year.
Dr. Morrison grew up in Detroit, meeting his wife when they were both 14 years old! They were the classic “High School Sweethearts” marrying right after college graduation. Together for 55 years, they were married for 44 years when he died in 2012 at age 66.
The Morrison’s have 3 boys: Daniel (Littleton, CO), Kurt Morrison, DO, Orthopedic Surgeon, and Eric (Newport Beach, CA). Dan and Sandy’s six grandchildren will be proud to know of their grandpa’s commitment to DO Orthopedic Surgery and of Dan’s exceptional accomplishments.
Those of us who had the great fortune to train under him, and there were many, will be forever grateful for his gifts of time, knowledge, wisdom and humor!
Dan Morrison made a difference in this world.
NOTE: The original five annual printed and published JAOAO issues under Dr. Morrison’s leadership are available in the Archives section of this Journal.
