In Memoriam: Simmons Lessell, MD (1931-2016)

In Memoriam Simmons Lessell, MD (1931-2016) S immons Lessell, MD passed away on May 9, 2016, slightly shy of his 85th birthday. Dr. Lessell began his remarkable life in a multicultural neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY as one of 2 siblings. The family lived in a walk-up apartment behind his father's dental office. Dr. Lessell began to distinguish himself during his years as a student at his 2 beloved pregraduate schools: Stuyvesant High School in New York City and Amherst College in Massachusetts. While in college, he was introduced to the love of his life, Irma Miller, on a blind date. They married one year later. His thesis at Amherst included his discovery of a fossil of a previously unknown rodent-like animal, which he affectionately named Perognathus irmae. Dr. Lessell attended Cornell Medical School where he worked under Edward Norton, MD, who introduced him to neuro-ophthalmology. This experience motivated Dr. Lessell to begin a neurology residency at the University Rizzo: J Neuro-Ophthalmol 2016; 36: 341-342 of Vermont where he was indelibly influenced by the first of his 2 great mentors, George Schumacher, MD, who nourished a rigor and punctiliousness for patient care and intellectual thought that became hallmarks of Dr. Lessell's persona. One year later, Dr. Lessell began a 2-year commitment as a neurologist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with one year being spent on the island of Guam. There he was the only neurologist for 60,000 civilians and military personnel stationed across the far Pacific. He investigated Lytico-Bodig disease that was highly prevalent on the island while working within the Epidemiology and Genetics Branch of the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness. Dr. Lessell returned to the United States and performed research for 2 years in the Howe Laboratory at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary/ Harvard Medical School where he met his second mentor, David Cogan, MD, who was then Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology, founder of the Howe Laboratory of Ophthalmology, and founder of the neuroophthalmology service at the Infirmary. This experience provided a foundation for Dr. Lessell's lifelong commitment to the field of neuro-ophthalmology, which he pursued after completion of an ophthalmology residency at the Infirmary in 1966. Dr. Lessell's first faculty position was as the neuroophthalmologist at Boston University Medical Center, where he spent 18 years and rose to the rank of professor of ophthalmology, neurology, and anatomy. During his tenure there, Dr. Lessell's ability to communicate in writing, in front of a classroom, and one-on-one with trainees became legendary. His teaching style included a sterling wit and energetic interactions with the audience, and he was never shy of asking questions to probe one's fund of knowledge. His gifts as a teacher were recognized by his receipt of the prestigious Metcalf cup and prize, given to one outstanding educator per year at Boston University Medical Center. During those years, Dr. Lessell performed cataract and orbital surgeries, and essentially all trainees at Boston University, including myself, performed their first cataract procedure with Dr. Lessell. In 1983, Dr. Lessell was recruited to the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary where he became the director of the neuro-ophthalmology service. He then began to accept fellows every academic year. Over his career, Dr. Lessell trained 52 fellows, most of whom have maintained academic positions, 5 became the Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology or Neurology, and one became an Assistant Dean. During his time at the Infirmary, Dr. Lessell received the Outstanding Teacher Award in the Harvard Department of 341 Copyright © North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. In Memoriam Ophthalmology in 2004; a Distinguished Alumnus award of the Infirmary in 2006; and the William Silen Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award at Harvard Medical School in 2014. In 2006, Dr. Lessell became the first incumbent of the endowed chair named in honor of one of his most notable teachers, Paul A. Chandler, MD. This honor was bestowed to Dr. Lessell because he, like Dr. Chandler, was revered for academic excellence and for an enthusiastic commitment to being a clinician teacher. Dr. Lessell stepped down as director of the neuroophthalmology service in 2004, and then was appointed Director of Medical Education for the Harvard Department of Ophthalmology. In this capacity, Dr. Lessell transformed the advanced medical student elective in ophthalmology to require a faculty member to serve as a mentor for each student who was accepted into the rotation. Dr. Lessell also was appointed as the Faculty and Trainee Development Advisor, and in this role he provided mentorship across all levels of the faculty, with special emphasis on enhancing the potential for academic promotion among the junior faculty. Throughout his career, Dr. Lessell enjoyed learning about the personal interests of his trainees. He freely offered advice about the importance of enjoying life and balancing life's obligations, and he was generous with his time. He summed up keys to success as always being "able, affable, and available." The depth of his bond with his fellows was collectively expressed at the Festschrift that was held in his honor on May 25, 2013, the day of his 80th birthday. The lectures at this event were delivered by his fellows, who offered reflections about how he had influenced their lives and their careers. Dr. Lessell closed the festivities with a remarkably humble statement of appreciation to his fellows for having enriched his own life and for contributing to own education. Throughout his career, Dr. Lessell published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and reviews, and he held consecutive funding from the NIH for 13 years early in his career. His remarkable productivity, stellar reputation as 342 a diagnostician, and his educational legacy led to recognition as recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award by the New England Ophthalmological Society, which will be awarded posthumously. Dr. Lessell relished his academic life and eschewed strategies to seek a position of higher administrative authority. He was cautious about accepting too many obligations, and he always completed tasks well in advance of the deadlines. These approaches enabled him to devote more time to the activities that he most cared about- lingering with his patients and trainees, and in the library at the Infirmary. He was the proverbial "doctor's doctor" who was a gifted diagnostician who staunchly avoided "unnecessary" testing and who communicated effectively with physicians who regularly sought his guidance. He was the raconteur at the luncheon table at the Infirmary, where among residents, fellows, and other faculty members, he was equally facile with esoteric topics as he was with offcolor jokes. He particularly loved the opera, military history, and fly-fishing. The loss of Dr. Lessell has left a void in our halls, but we remain enriched with memories of how he added meaning, depth, and purpose to our lives. Dr. Lessell shared 59 years of his life with his beloved wife, Irma Lessell, MD, who provided inspiration and love to Simmons throughout his career. Their bond was unusually strong, which was reflected in the fact that Simmons wore a watch that was inscribed with the date that he first met Irma. Dr. Lessell was predeceased by Irma who died in 2014, and by one son who died in 1977. He is survived by 3 sons (Miller, Newell, and Ephraim), his sister (Florence Jaffe), and his grandchildren (Etai and Omer Lavie, and Griffin and Fiona Lessell). Joseph F. Rizzo III, MD Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. E-mail: [e-mail] Rizzo: J Neuro-Ophthalmol 2016; 36: 341-342 Copyright © North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.