Ronald L. Meng's Obituary
Dr. Ronald L. Meng, leading cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon
Decatur, IL - Dr. Ronald L. Meng, born in Belleville, IL, died January 15, 2006, at the age of 55, after a brief battle with gastric cancer. He is survived by his wife Rochelle nee Robinson, daughter Laura, and son Christopher, and their dog Daisy, along with his sister Peggy and brother-in-law Robert Kaiser and their children Kendra and Jennifer of Vesper, WI, and his Aunt Delores Meng of Belleville, IL. He is also survived by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, William and Betty Lou Robinson of Des Plaines, IL, his sister-in-law Roxanne Robinson of Minong WI, his sister-in-law Rozanne and brother-in-law William Hickok and their children Patrice Alyssa, Sam, Ryan and Jenna of Des Plaines, IL, and his brother-in-law Rob and sister-in-law Debbie Robinson and their children Mitchell, Claire, Grace and Chloe of Long Grove, IL. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leslie and Verna Parini Meng.
In 1968, Meng graduated as a valedictorian of his class at Waukegan Township High School and was chosen to deliver his high school commencement address. In it, he talked about anticipating "a future more fantastic than Arabian nights and more adventurous than Gulliver's Travels." Though short, the life of Dr. Ronald Meng was indeed a life well-lived - a life of adventure and of service, and one that made a difference to so many. Meng's legacy continues in the lives of his children and the myriad people he helped through his great talents, energy, and compassion.
Widely recognized as a leading practitioner of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery and an authority on the treatment of adult and pediatric vascular disease, Meng's personal motto was to honor the practice of medicine through his best efforts in compassion, service, knowledge and technical ability.
Meng began practicing medicine in 1974, and most recently, in 2002, started a cardiac surgical services program at Decatur Memorial Hospital's Heart and Lung Institute. He was the first cardiac surgeon to serve Macon County, IL.
Prior to his work at Decatur Memorial, Meng spent more than a decade at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL. In addition to his surgical work at Lutheran General, Meng held a wide variety of administrative posts, including Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Chairman of the Cardiac Surgery Division, and Chairman of the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Section. During that time, Meng was also an attending physician at Holy Family Medical Center in Des Plaines, IL, and Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, IL. From 1982-1988 he was an attending physician at the University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City, IA, and the Veterans Administration Medical Center, also in Iowa City.
Throughout his career, Meng received numerous accolades and prestigious awards, including being named a "Top Doctor in Chicago" by the Donnelly Press, and a "Top Doctor in America" by the Center for the Study of Services in Washington, D.C.
Meng was affiliated with a wide variety of professional organizations, including the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the American Medical Association, the International Society for Heart Transplantation, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American College of Cardiology, and the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery.
Meng received his B.S. from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana in 1971, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. He received his M.D. in 1974 from the University of Illinois, Chicago and completed his residency in General Surgery in 1979 at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL. He received an M.S. in Surgery in 1977 from the University of Illinois, Chicago. From 1979-81, he was a Fellow, Thoracic Surgery, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL. He was certified by the American Board of Surgery, the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and the American Board of Surgery, Special Qualification in General Vascular Surgery.
Meng received several academic appointments at various colleges and institutions, including Rush Medical School, Chicago, IL, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, University of Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, and the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL. He published and contributed to numerous medical papers and presented his techniques and findings internationally.
In addition to his work in medicine, Meng was an accomplished professional trumpet player, performing with a broad range of artists, including Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Sonny and Cher, Mel Torme, and Glen Campbell. Meng was active philanthropically with many organizations, including the American Heart Association and the Decatur Area Arts Council. An expert gardener and gourmet cook, he also shared his culinary talents by donating meals for charitable events.
A visitation celebrating Meng's life will be held on Sunday, January 22, from 1-4 p.m. at Moran & Goebel Funeral Home, 2801 N. Monroe St., Decatur, IL, 62526 phone 217-875-2004. View the online obituary and send condolences at to the Meng family at: www.moranandgoebel.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be sent to:
The Dr. Ronald L. Meng Rose Fund - T03791828O
NFCR Rose Funds
National Foundation for Cancer Research
4600 East West Highway, Suite 525
Bethesda, MD 20814-6900
Donations will be used to directly fund research to find cures for gastric cancer.
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