Dr. Douglas Terry Coles

Dr. Douglas Terry Coles, of Rochester, Minnesota and Sarasota, Florida; passed away in Rochester on March 6, 2016, with family at his bedside.Despite moving to Florida in 1995, he remained a devoted fan of the Mayo Clinic, Minnesota hockey, Michaels Restaurant and all that is Rochester. Doug was born at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston on June 7, 1932; and so began his life-long love of New England.While growing up in Massachusetts, he attended Phillips Academy Andover (class of 1950) and Harvard College (class of 1954), before going north of the border to McGill Medical School in Montreal (class of 1958).He returned to New England following McGill and did an internship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire before becoming a Mayo Fellow in 1959 and joining the staff of the Mayo Clinic in 1963.He stayed on staff at Mayo in Rochester until his retirement in 1995; retiring early to care for his ailing father in Sarasota. His parents Leslie Frank Coles and Gladys Annie Manyer Coles left old England as young adults to pursue a new life together in New England.They raised Doug, their only child, with a strong appreciation for academics, athletics, economics and music.Doug contributed substantially to his own schooling costs by playing the piano and organ at hotels, resorts and restaurants in New England.He transferred most of these appreciations to his children, with the notable exception of musical talent, where only one of his kids (Scott) has developed musical prowess. His family and his medical practice were always his highest priorities.Time spent with the family often involved yard work, scenic drives to the Mississippi, the north woods of Minnesota, the coast of Maine, skiing in Aspen or hockey pilgrimages to the Twin Cities.In his later years, he had adjusted to the more temperate climes of the Gulf Coast of Florida, though never truly becoming a golfer. His other great passion was his work.As an internist specializing in pulmonary diseases, he participated in much of the progress that has been made over the last several decades in treating lung cancer and other respiratory diseases.He always had such respect and appreciation for the collegial, consultative model of care that characterizes the Mayo way.Among his many friends, most are former colleagues and patients from his time in medicine. He is survived by a family that grieves his passing but celebrates his life in the way they live their lives.Doug has three sons and one daughter: Chris and his wife Deborah of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Scott and his wife Heidi of Redmond, Oregon; Bruce and his wife Lucy Peterson of Edina, Minnesota; Elizabeth and Charles Bedford of Farmington, New Mexico.Among Dougs kids there are eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.Doug is also survived by two former spouses, with whom he remained friends: Janet Ayres Coles of Breckenridge, Colorado and Mary Murphy Coles of Rochester, Minnesota.His survivors also include his community of caregivers over the last dozen years following his stroke with special mention of Zelda Berg, Alan Sessler, the staff and other residents of Shorewood Commons, and the physicians and nurses of the Mayo Clinic that oversaw his care. Your compassion and empathy made all the difference to a man who placed relationships with people above all else. A memorial service will be held in Rochester at 2 PM on Sunday, March 13 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home, 5421 Royal Pl NW.Visitation will be one hour prior to theservice from 1:00 to 2:00 pm Sunday at Ranfranz and Vine. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Mayo Clinic Hospice 200 1st Street SW Rochester, MN 55905.