Dr. James K.
O'Toole
Dr. James K.
O'Toole, 80, died Monday (July 21, 2008) at St. Benedict Senior Community in
St. Cloud after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma.
James was
born April 6, 1928, in Grafton, N.D., to Robert F. and Margaret (DeSautel)
O'Toole. They preceded him in death.
He graduated
from Crystal High School in Crystal, N.D., in 1946 and North Dakota State
University in 1950 with a bachelor of science degree in chemical technology.
He attended
the University of North Dakota School of Medicine in Grand Forks from 1950 to
1952 and received his doctorate in medicine from Stritch School of Medicine of
Loyola University in Chicago in 1954. He did his medical internship and
residency at St. Luke's Hospital in Fargo until 1956. He began his private
medical practice in Park River, N.D., from 1956 to 1962. He continued his medical
training at Menninger School of Psychiatry from 1962 to 1965 and also was
employed by the Topeka State Hospital. He had a fellowship at Menninger
Foundation from 1965 to 1966 in community psychiatry.
He married
Georgine L. Cavegn in September 1952 and had five children. She survives of St.
Cloud.
He was a
psychiatric consultant to the North Dakota Board of Public Welfare and
director/medical director of the Memorial Mental Health and Retardation Center
Bismarck/Mandan from 1969 to 1975. He was the associate medical director of
Prairie View Mental Health Center in Newton from 1975 to 1984 and a clinical
associate professor with Kansas University School of Medicine in Wichita from
1976 to 1984.
From 1984 to
1988, he was the superintendent of the Central State Hospital in Norman, Okla.
Following a desire to move closer to family, he finished his career as a staff
psychiatrist at the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center in Fergus Falls,
Minn., and in private practice consultation.
James was a
delegate to the North Dakota Constitutional Convention in 1971-72 and was on
the North Dakota Parole Board from 1966 to 1973. He was a member of the
American Medical and Psychiatric associations, a former Grand Knight of the
Knights of Columbus and a lifelong member of Elks. He had a number of published
papers including 'Mourning of a President' in the 1966 Psychiatric Quarterly
and was on the Joint Commission on Accreditations of Hospitals.
He enjoyed
gardening, bird watching and crossword puzzles. He was skilled in woodworking,
having made many beautiful pieces of furniture for his children and
grandchildren. He spent much time studying his family genealogy and published a
history of the O'Toole family. He loved the company of his family and friends
at home and at their lake cabin.
He also is
survived by his daughters, Patty O'Toole of Grafton, N.D., Peggy (John)
O'Toole-Martin of Rochester, Minn., Bobbie (Calvin) O'Toole-Beasley of
Knoxville, Tenn., and Erin (Steve) O'Toole-Tomzcik of St. Cloud; son, James
(Carrie) O'Toole of Mayetta; three brothers, Lawrence (Shirley) O'Toole of
Crystal, N.D., Patrick (Clementine) O'Toole of Crystal and Robert (Judy)
O'Toole of Grafton; and one sister, Kathleen (Cornelius) Whalen of Grand Forks,
N.D. He also is survived by his 11 grandchildren: Allison, Kateri, Christopher,
Sean, Kavan, Patrick, Lara, Meg, Kelly, Zachary and Katherine; and
great-grandson, Daryon.
James also
was preceded in death by a sister, Elizabeth Todd.
Visitation
will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at
Tollefson Funeral Home in Grafton.
A Mass of
Christian burial will be at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Patrick Parish in Crystal,
N.D.
Burial will
be at St. Patrick's Cemetery in Crystal.
Memorials
are suggested to Volunteer Services Grafton Developmental Center, Knights of
Columbus, and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.
An online
guestbook is available at www.tollefsonfuneralhome.com.
Tollefson
Funeral Home of Grafton is in charge of the arrangements.
