Dr. Charles E. McLean died on March 27th at Mystic, CT. He was born in Wallingford, CT on April 7, 1918 to Harry and Hazel McLean. He attended Wallingford Schools, graduating from Lyman Hall High School. In 1942, he received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Tufts University.
After enlisting in the US Army, he attended Yale University School of Medicine from which he received his medical degree. He completed his medical internship at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Dr. McLean served U.S. Army Troops and their families in the Philippines and Korea. After his discharge, he became a resident in medicine at the U.S. Veteran’s Hospital in Newington. From 1949 to 1951, he was in general practice in Wallingford. In 1951, he joined Connecticut General Life Insurance Company where he read cardiograms with Hartford Cardiologist Dr. Paul Twaddle who encouraged him to pursue training in cardiology. Over the years, the Twaddle and McLean families shared a deep and much valued friendship.
From 1952-53, Dr. McLean was a Fellow at Buffalo General Hospital in the University of Buffalo Medical School where he was assigned to the Cardiopulmonary Laboratory. In 1953, he returned to Hartford to practice cardiology and, as part-time Director, to establish the first Cardiopulmonary Laboratory at Hartford Hospital. He became the full-time Director in 1957 until his retirement in 1984. During this time, he became a member of the American, Connecticut, and Hartford Medical Associations; a Fellow in the American College of Cardiology; a member of American College of Physicians, International College of Angiology, American Society of Internal Medicine, and Association of Connecticut Cardiologists. He was a member and Past President of the Connecticut Heart Association. Dr. McLean was also Vice-Presidnet of the New England Cardiovascular Society.
In 1983, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Connecticut Heart Association and in 1984 received the Distinguished Service Award from the Harford Hospital Medical Staff.
Dr. McLean and his family enjoyed the beauty of living in Glastonbury for 45 years and, on a part-time basis in East Dennis, MA on the Bay for 25 years. Dr. McLean enjoyed many years of golf at Cummaquid Golf Club.
He was a devoted husband to his wife Laura and a loving father to his son Charles M. and his wife Amy of Aspen, Colorado, son James R. and his wife Deborah of Golden, Colorado, his daughter, Patricia Wind and her husband Tom of Stonington (both of whom were his devoted golfing partners). He was a doting “Pappa” to his grandsons Slater of Aspen and Colin of Golden. It was his great privilege to spend time with them and their parents in Connecticut, Cape Cod, and in their homes high in the Rocky Mountains. He is also survived by his niece Judith Buttner of Findhorn, Torres, Scotland. Dr. McLean was predeceased by his sister, Dorothy.
A Celebration of Dr. McLean’s life will be held at a later date. Memorial Contributions may be made to Hartford Hospital Cardiac Laboratory, c/o Hartford Hospital Fund Development, 80 Seymour Street, Hartford, CT 06102. The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, Historic downtown Mystic is assisting the family.
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