Torrence A. Makley, Jr, MD (January 11, 1918 - January 3, 2005) was a professor emeritus and former chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, where he provided leadership in the training of residents, medical students and practicing Ophthalmologists.
Makley graduated from the University of Dayton in June 1940. He then attended Washington University Medical School in St Louis, graduating in December 1943. He interned at Barnes Hospital in St Louis from December 1943 to September 1944. He spent 2 years in the US Army and was assigned to Fort McKinley, a general army hospital in Manila in the Philippines, where he was eventually made head of the eye, ear, nose, and throat department. This experience stimulated his interest in ophthalmology. After his discharge, he found that residency spots were unavailable because so many discharged doctors were looking for further training. It was nearly a 2-year wait for a residency in ophthalmology. For this reason, Makley took a basic science course in ophthalmology at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago from 1946 to 1948. He then obtained a fellowship in eye pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, DC, studying under the direction of Helenor Wilder. The next 3 years were spent in the eye residency program at the Ohio State University Hospitals in Columbus.
After his residency, Makley went into practice in downtown Columbus with Dr. Arthur Culler for a short period of time. He eventually established his own private practice, which he continued for a period of 10 years. During that time, he maintained a close relationship with the eye department at Ohio State as a part-time faculty member. With his interest and training in ophthalmic pathology, he established an eye pathology laboratory, a major addition that provided a needed service for ophthalmologists in Ohio and surrounding states and for teaching residents and medical students.
In 1961, at the urging of then chairman Dr. William Havener, Makley gave up his practice to become the department’s second full-time faculty member. Soon after joining the faculty, he was appointed chairman of the department, a position he held until 1972. After being appointed, he recognized that it was now his responsibility to continue the development that had been started by his predecessors. His first effort was to expand the full-time faculty, and he was able to recruit key individuals so that all the subspecialties were covered.
Makley supported the clinical and basic science research activities by recruiting top researchers in those areas. He made significant efforts to expand research funds. Teaching was very important to him, and with the help of former chairman Dr. Havener, he made major changes in resident and medical student education within the department. He was also able to expand the opportunities for residents to obtain additional clinical and surgical experience by establishing a relationship with a veterans clinic. When the opportunity arose for the department to occupy space in a new facility that was being constructed, Makley was able to oversee the design of the administration offices, examination and treatment rooms, resident clinic, and support areas, all of which still serve the department well.
Makley was a superb clinician and surgeon. His primary interests were uveitis and orbital diseases. For many years, he was the orbital surgeon for the department and would take on the most challenging cases. He served as the director of the uveitis clinic, which was widely used by physicians in central Ohio to refer their difficult cases. His rapport with patients was exemplary. He never seemed to get upset; his manner was always pleasant, considerate, and understanding. Patients loved him; residents and young facility tried to emulate him.
From his clinical, surgical, and pathology cases, Makley was able to publish a number of articles, some of which are classics and are still being referenced. He had more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. He was an active member of the American Association of Ophthalmic Pathologists, Ophthalmic Pathology Club (Verhoeff Society), Midwest Ophthalmic Club (Theobald Society), American Uveitis Society, and Association for Research in Ophthalmology. Even after retiring from practice and assuming an emeritus status in 1983, Makley never lost interest in the department. He attended most departmental meetings and activities. He took great pleasure in interacting with the residents and was a faithful member of the resident selection committee. He loved to teach and would visit the pathology area to spend time with residents, going over interesting cases both current and old from his extensive archives. In some of the old cases, the slides were pretty faded, but he knew all the details about each of them. Because of his outstanding teaching, the department’s teaching award is named the Makley-Battles Teaching Award.
Makley loved ophthalmology, but his greatest love was his family and friends. He had a long and happy life with his first wife, Ann, who died in 1992. They had 7 children. Two years after his wife’s death, he married Claudette. Makley often stated that he was doubly blessed to have the opportunity to marry a second wonderful woman. Jo has 8 children. This union created a large extended family, which includes all the children, brothers and sisters, 38 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. It was easy to see why he was so proud of his family and why he was so well cared for.
Makley was an active member of his church. He was a lecturer in the church, and he served as a Eucharistic minister. He was also a member of the Sierra Club for which he was voted the volunteer of the year.
The Torrence A. Makley, Jr, MD Papers (0.75 linear feet) contains material related to his medical career.
This collection is arranged in two series:
Series I: Correspondence (1 box) contains letters to/from Makley. This series is arranged by date.
Series II: Publications (1 box) contains writings authored by Makley. This series is arranged alphabetically.
The collection is open to the public and is available for viewing in the Medical Heritage Center. Materials do not circulate and must be used in the supervised reading room. Restrictions, including copyright, may exist and some materials may be too fragile to photocopy or digitize. The MHC charges for duplication services, which must be performed by staff.
[Identification of item], Torrence A. Makley, Jr, MD Papers, SPEC.201725.MAKLEY, Medical Heritage Center, Health Sciences Library, The Ohio State University.