Remembering Dr. Bob McLelland

The UNC School of Medicine and the UNC Department of Radiology are deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. Robert (“Bob”) McLelland, who died on March 3. The following obiturary appeared in the News and Observer on Mar. 12, 2017:

Robert McLelland II, MD, FACR, 95, Clinical Professor Emeritus of Radiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, died peacefully at home on March 3, 2017. He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on September 18, 1921, the son of Robert McLelland and Flora Ziern and was raised and educated in the public schools of Detroit, Michigan. In 1939, he joined the apprentice tool and die maker program at Ford Trade School in Dearborn, Michigan. After two years in this program, he departed to begin his undergraduate education at Wayne State University.

He joined the Navy V-12 program in 1942 and was sent to the Illinois Institute of Technology where the key event of his life took place. A beloved professor and mentor recommended a transfer to Oberlin College and a career in medicine, and he never looked back. He earned his medical degree from the School of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati in 1948. He prepared for his career as a radiologist by earning a letter in golf while in medical school. Try doing that today! He served a two year rotating internship at Philadelphia General Hospital during which time he met, courted and married his loving wife of 67 years, Mary Elizabeth Balson.

In 1950 Dr. McLelland was called to active duty with the US Navy during the Korean War and he served as Senior Medical Officer aboard the USS Sandoval APA-194 in South Korea and Japan. In 1952 he returned to the Philadelphia General Hospital to complete his residency in radiology, and in 1955 he entered private practice in radiology at Memorial Hospital in Danville, Virginia. While there, he developed a multi-disciplinary department including a certified School of Radiologic Technology, and a Radiology Residency Program affiliated with the Department of Radiology at the Duke University School of Medicine. He was named Fellow of the American College of Radiology in 1967.

In 1981 Dr. McLelland joined the faculty of the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill until his retirement in 2005. He was Chairman of the American College of Radiology Committee on Mammography/Breast Imaging from 1980-1991.

Dr. McLelland’s first peer-reviewed scientific publication was in 1954, and he continued to publish until 2000. He was a visiting professor at numerous universities in this country and abroad and gave several memorial lectures and was also a Fellow Emeritus of the American College of Radiology and Society of Breast Imaging. Additionally, Dr. McLelland was an examiner for the American Board of Radiology, a member of the Association of University Radiologists, the Radiological Society of North America, the American Roentgen Ray Society, president of the Eastern Radiological Society, founding member of the Blockley Radiological Society at Philadelphia General Hospital, and a member of the Fifty Year Club of the North Carolina Medical Society.

Bob loved his work, teaching, and his colleagues. He was an unabashed liberal and also a philanthropist who gave generously to federal, state and municipal causes. He enjoyed playing golf until he could no longer break 100 from the ladies tees! His last years were actively spent reading, writing, gardening, traveling and enjoying his family and friends in what was a very pleasant and productive life.

Dr. McLelland revered his mother, and dearly loved and is survived by his wonderful loving wife and best friend of 67 years, and their son Robert McLelland III of Albuquerque, New Mexico and his wife, Alexandra Jasmina Cvijanovich, MD, a practicing pediatrician

Donations may be made to The Carolina Covenant, Office of University Development, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.