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UNC distinguished professor, surgeon dies of illness

Dr. George Sheldon, a UNC distinguished professor of surgery, died Sunday after spending several weeks as a patient in UNC Hospitals. He was in his late 70s.

Tony Meyer, chairman of the department of surgery, said Sheldon had an illness that continued to worsen during his time in the hospital, though Meyer did not reveal what that illness was.

Meyer said Sheldon died comfortably surrounded by friends and family.

Sheldon began working at UNC in 1984 when he started as chairman of the department of surgery. He served that role until 2001, when he stepped down to become a member of the faculty.

Meyer said Sheldon planned to retire at the end of June.

Mark Weissler, one of Sheldon’s colleagues, said Sheldon was always going out of his way to help others.

“(Sheldon) was very unassuming and completely selfless, and that was, I think, what was probably the most notable thing about him,” Weissler said.

“He really went out of his way to help me out in my career and in all sorts of ways over the years. And that’s basically what he was always doing — he was just always helping other people.”

Meyer said Sheldon achieved many great honors during his career.

“He was one of the very few people to ever be the president of the American College of Surgeons, which is the biggest surgical organization in the world,” Meyer said.

“And he was the president of the American Surgical Association, which is probably the most prestigious surgical organization in the world.”

Sheldon was also the second recipient of the American College of Surgeons Lifetime Achievement Award.

Weissler said Sheldon enjoyed history, writing and traveling to the United Kingdom. He also said Sheldon was a devoted father and grandfather.

Before his death, Meyer said Sheldon was working on a book about Dr. Phillip Physick, a Revolutionary War surgeon and statesman from Philadelphia.

Meyer said the department will hold a commemorative event for Sheldon in the coming weeks.

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