Doctor Courtland Lawrence Harlow, Jr., M.D., International Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgeon.
Doctor Courtland “Bud” Harlow, Jr., devoted husband to Dorothy Patricia Harney Harlow, and beloved dad to Courtland Lawrence Harlow III, Christine Alanna Harlow, and Daniel Joseph Harlow died at Jordan Hospital , Plymouth, MA, June 20, 2011 the result of a car accident on Pembroke Street, Kingston, MA.
Bud was born July 1, 1944 to the adoring and devoted parents, Courtland L. Harlow and Marguerite Chiros Harlow of Whitman, MA and was the younger brother to the deceased and loving Mary Louise Harlow, and older brother to his very best buddies, Irvin and John Harlow, as well as the favorite uncle to many nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews.
Doctor Harlow’s childhood was as typical as any other young boy’s: hiding his sister Mary’s favorite doll, accidently locking himself in Dr. and Mrs. Carr’s garage, playing baseball with his friend Mike Vella at Gray’s Beach, Kingston, and enjoying Sunday meals with his extended family. However, Bud exhibited atypical behavior: jumping out a classroom window to avoid a history lesson and at the age of eight, falling in love with the trumpet, a love which the family supported and encouraged. Even his Whitman and Kingston neighbors were profoundly proud and tolerant, particularly if Bud began his trumpet practice at 5:30 A.M., considering that what they heard was a much appreciated Early Morning Concert. According to Bud’s “Autobiography”, the study of trumpet began at the age of ten with Amando Ghitalla, first chair and solo trumpeter of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, who also became a welcomed family member. “Over the years I had many wonderful opportunities and experienced performing both as a soloist and as a member of many orchestras and bands. I was a student at the National Music Camp, Interlocken, Michigan; performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra: played in Symphony Hall; Carnegie hall; the Lincoln Arts Center; and performed at the United Nations and” in 1964 “for President Kennedy at the White House.” Of course, during this period of time Bud was supported by his mom, dad, and entire family, no matter the sacrifice.
Bud attended the New England Conservatory of Music, after graduating from Whitman-Hanson High School, majoring in trumpet; however, in his sophomore year, his embouchure failed, forcing him to terminate his studies. Bud took this opportunity to assess other interests- science and mathematics, enrolling in Bridgewater State College, focusing on math. Mr. Joseph Chicarelli, an instructor in math, recognized Bud’s ability and gently nudged him into medicine, and according to Bud’s ‘Autobiography’ realized “that medicine was to be my active career.” Academically, Bud had not prepared for medical study and, therefore, enrolled at Harvard University where he completed his premedical studies, of course, maintaining an A average.
The first two years of Bud’s medical school training occurred at Dartmouth Medical School. Letters written home during this period of medic al training expressed Bud’s absolute love for the subject, and happiness in finding that which was to become his life’s passion. It was at Dartmouth that a wonderful forty year friendship blossomed between another outstanding individual, Mark Constantian, now an internationally renowned Cosmetic Surgeon.
Boston University’s clinical years followed Bud’s two year Dartmouth Medical Program. History suggests that it was at Boston University that Dr. Harlow wrote “Delinquent Adolescences: Its Origins, Manifestations and Control in Human Beings” in which he advocates “to remove the positive reinforcement of delinquent behavior “, and replace it with individual praise and reward for good behavior, thus developing an intense sense of individual accomplishment.
Bud’s six year academic Boston University surgical residency was followed by a two year Plastic Surgery Residency with Doctor Gaspar Anastsi. In addition, Bud became a Commercial Pilot, and continued his specialty training with such great surgical mentors such as Dr. Eugene Courtiss, Dr. Joseph Lenahan, Doctor Judith Petry, Doctor Stuart Strong, Doctor Donald Booth, Doctor Frank Vernelli, and Dr Gerald Cochran. Doctor Harlow’s three years of informal specialty training were far more extensive and global, from the extraordinary Doctor Jack Sheen, Los Angeles, CA to the exceptional Doctor Paul Tessier, Boulogne, France. In between, he had a chance encounter in the Boston University Medical Library with Dorothy Pat Harney. Before the conversation could actually begin, Bud had to instruct Pat that his name was not spelled like the apple, but with the letter “u” as in Courtland. Pat admits that for the first time in her life she was insightful, smart and bold enough to not only accept Bud’s invitation for pizza at Regina’s in the North End, Boston, but also accepted an unexpected invitation for a following day Sunday air plane ride. The rest is history with the ever evolving, conflicting, and competitive “he said, she said” tales of how they met.
Dr. Harlow received a Maytag Post-graduate Plastic Surgery Fellowship with Dr. D. Ralph Milllard, the quintessential Cosmetic Surgeon in Cleft Lip and Palate, University of Miami Medical Center, Miami, Florida:, the Kristine Kleinert Post-graduate Hand Surgery Fellowship, University of Louisville, with the exceptional hand surgeon, Doctor Harold Kleinert, and study in craniofacial and maxillofacial surgery under the tutelage of the world’s extraordinary maxillofacial surgeon, Doctor Paul Tessier, at the Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Clinique du Belvedere, Boulogne, France and Hospital Foch, Suresnes, France.
Between these studies, Dr Courtland L. Harlow, Jr. and Dorothy P Harlow were married at Saint Anne’s Church, Wayland, MA on July 29, 1979, by the Reverend John Nichols. The couple’s first born, Courtland Lawrence Harlow III, was born at the Clinique du Belvedere on Father’s Day, June 15, 1980, and was baptized by Father Nichols in the majestic Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France.
Returning to the United States, Dr. Harlow accepted the positions of Acting Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA with affiliations at the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital and Stanford University Children’s Hospital. Both Christine Alanna Harlow and Daniel Joseph Harlow were born at Stanford University School of Medicine on March 7, 1982, and my father’s birthday, January 18, 1984, respectively. At their dad’s suggestion, Christine was baptized by the Reverend John Nichols at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, San Francisco, CA, while Daniel was baptized at the Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel, CA.
Doctor Harlow and his family returned to beautiful Kingston, Massachusetts, Bud’s childhood vacation spot, and Bud established his Cosmetic and Reconstructive practice primarily at the South Shore Hospital, and Milton and Saint Francis Hospital. According to Bud’s autobiography, his original “medical goal for the future is heart surgery”, obviously and inexplicitly that goal changed. Reconstructive Surgery became his passion. Ironically, one could wonder if it mattered what field of medicine he chose since he stated “I know medicine will enable me not only to provide medical aid to those in need but will enable me to enrich their lives by bringing satisfaction and fulfillment to them.” His philosophy became his creed and his accomplishments became his legacy. Doctor Harlow never tired, waivered or questioned his purpose – he knew. Independent and less restrained, Doctor Harlow, was always available. His patients were important. He could always return to meals, functions, school activities and sports games. The intrusion into his personal life was not begrudged by his family. In fact they were proud of his integrity, compassion, unselfishness, honor, humility, dedication and responsibility, forever grateful that it was their dad healing the patient.
Doctor Harlow realized that it was time for him to go beyond the norm. He was motivated by a compelling urge to move boundaries, not only for his patients, but for the down trodden, the poor and the forgotten. Bud was willing to leave the confines of excellent hospitals with state of the art operating facilities; an office where the patients’ greatly respected and very much appreciated ultra modern paneled bathroom; a waiting room with patients talking among themselves, reading stories to other patient’s children, listening to the ABC rhyme of a youngster in control of the patient audience, or making follow-up arrangements with Kathy Killion, a dedicated and beloved Office Manager and friend. The very long work day ended with the affirmation that Doctor Harlow “had the world’s best group of patients.”
Surgically, Doctor Harlow was a master, and without letting on, never too shy to listen in and enjoy the conversations of the competent, compassionate and diligent nursing staff.
The comforts of home, office and surgical rooms were traded for medical volunteer work to far off places, impoverished people, uncomfortable heat or penetrating cold, extreme altitudes, lack of sanitation and electricity, different cultures, often difficult living conditions, and danger. On one occasion Doctor Harlow was taken captive by uniformed men and released as a result of the testimony of a cab driver who recognized him from an infomercial explaining the purpose of the foreign doctors who came to help people. Doctor Harlow’s medical missions’ purpose was twofold: teaching the nationals the surgical procedures that they could perform when the medical team left, and changing the lives of individuals who had a deformed face. Doctor Harlow believed that the teams’ passion, devotion and efforts broke barriers, boundaries, and probably represented the extreme, or pinnacle of their profession. Jamaica, Lithuania, Ecuador, Bolivia (El Alto), Vietnam and China represent the countries in which Doctor Harlow taught and performed facial reconstructive surgery. The medical missionary work came to an abrupt halt in July, 2003 when Doctor Harlow was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. At the time, Doctor Harlow and his wife Pat were preparing to participate in a medical mission to India.
Doctor Harlow was a philanthropist, believing that his contribution, in addition to that of others, would change the lives and living conditions of individuals.
Board Certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners, the American Board of Surgery, and the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Doctor Harlow was also a member of The American College of Surgeons, American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, the American Society of the Maxillofacial Surgeons, the Northeast Society of Plastic Surgeons, Lipolysis of North America, the Massachusetts Medical Society, America Cleft Palate Association, New England Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Norfolk South District Medical Society, Interplast, Inc., and the Development Board of “My Brother’s Keeper”.
In the lyrics of Andrea Bocelli, Doctor Harlow “dared to live, giving something of himself to others, even when it seems there is nothing more to give……your life is all you have to give.” And this he did. When his wife Pat asked if he were afraid of dying, Dr. Harlow responded that he was not, that he had a great life, that he did what he wanted to do, and used the gifts that he was given. He believed that God was very good to him and that he would be at peace in God’s embrace.
Visiting hours at Blanchard’s Funeral Chapel, Whitman, MA: Saturday, June 25, 6-9 P.M., Sunday, June 26, 1-5 P.M. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, June 27 in Holy Ghost Church, Whitman at 11 A.M. All are invited to attend. Internment at Saint James Cemetery, Whitman. For directions, visit the respective internet sites.
Arrangements by the Blanchard Funeral Chapel Plymouth Street (Rt. 58 at the rotary) Whitman, for online condolences and directions visit www.blanchardfc.com
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to My Brother’s Keeper, P.O. Box 338, Easton, MA 02356.