Oran native, internationally known doctor, dead at 61

Dr. Gary W. Kielhofner, an Oran, Mo., native who became a groundbreaking researcher and recognized worldwide as an authority on occupational therapy died Thursday in Chicago at age 61.

Kielhofner published 19 books and more than 140 articles in professional journals. His writings, including his book "Conceptual Foundations of Occupational Therapy," serve as the basis for clinical rehabilitation practices around the world and have been translated into many languages, from German to Mandarin. He also lectured extensively in the United States as well as in Europe, South America and Asia.

Even though he was known globally for his contributions to occupational therapy, Kielhofner got some of his earliest education at Vincentian seminaries in Cape Girardeau and Perryville, Mo.

He later studied at a seminary in Santa Barbara, Calif., before receiving degrees from St. Louis University, the University of Southern California and the University of California-Los Angeles. Kielhofner also received honorary degrees from universities in the United States, Scotland and Sweden.

He would eventually hold faculty positions at Virginia Commonwealth University and Boston University, before heading the occupational therapy program at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Dr. Christopher B. Keys, a professor at DePaul University, said Kielhofner's innovative contributions to disability studies at UIC built the school's occupational therapy program into a national force.

Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, Kielhofner's colleague at UIC, said Kielhofner made history, broke ground and shaped the future of the profession.

Colleagues have credited Kielhofner's theories, including his model of human occupation, with advancing the understanding of factors that influence whether people with disabilities can lead satisfying lives. He told occupational therapy students to use not only their clinical experiences, but also their moral sense to improve things for their patients and themselves.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Kielhofner was an avid bicyclist and horseman, along with being a woodworker and guitarist.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

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