Dr. James Dineen buried today; third inductee of Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame to die this summer

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Dr. James Dineen was a sports medicine pioneer. He was inducted into the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. Dineen was buried Friday morning in Wilmington. He was 92 and the third inductee of the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame to die this summer. Joe Miller and Hoss Ellington both passed away a few weeks ago.

We’ve posted more information below courtesy www.legacy.com and the Wilmington Star News.

DR. JAMES ROBERT DINEEN Dr. James Robert Dineen, Captain (USN Ret), 92, of Wilmington, died July 17, 2014 at The Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center. He was born in Corning, NY on September 24, 1921 to Marguerite C. and James J. Dineen. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Dorothy Seger Dineen, mother of his seven children; his oldest son, Lt. Col. Michael Dineen (USM Ret); and his brother, John “Bud” Dineen of Ormond Beach, Florida.

Following high school, his pre-med college days were spent at Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania. He then went to the University of Rochester School of Medicine and graduated as Doctor of Medicine in 1945. His internship and surgery residency was at the U. S. Naval Hospital in Sampson, New York from 1945 – 1947. His residency was in Orthopaedic Surgery at the U. S. Naval Hospital in Philadelphia, the Children’s Medical Center in Boston, and the U. S. Naval Hospital in Chelsea, Massachusetts. His military service started in July 1943 – June 1945 as V-12 USNR, commissioned officer, Lt. J. G. in 1945 and in regular service in 1947 as Lt. J. G. Medical Corps USN. He was assistant Chief of Orthopaedics, W. S. Army Hospital, Tripler in Hawaii in 1953- 1955; Chief of Orthopaedics, U S Naval Hospital in Camp LeJeune 1955- 1960; Chief of Orthopaedics, US Naval Hospital in Oakland, California 1960 – 1963; Division Surgeon, Second Marine Division Fleet Marine Force, Camp Le Jeune 1963 – 1964; and retired as Captain Medical Corps, US Navy in 1964 with 22 years service credit. The Cuban Missle Crisis caused a transfer to point of Force in the Atlantic from Camp Le Jeune with the 2nd Marine Division aboard the USN Sandovahl with a medical unit of 117 specialty surgeons and support officers. A career highlight was in 1962 he had the privilege of doing conservative treatment for Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, USN. One of the most cherished accomplishments as a young man of 14 was earning his gold Palm Eagle Scout Award in 1937 with 36 merit badges. After his military career, he opened his private practice in Wilmington. He recruited surgeons Walter Weiss, Donald Getz, Kevin Scully, John “Bud” Azzato, David Esposito, Murray Seidel, and John O’Malley, all of whom were excellent surgeons. Assisting these surgeons were a group of nurses and staff who he fondly referred to as “Coastal Angels”. He was a member of Medical Aspects of Sports Committees of NC; State Medical Society; American Medical Association; NC Orthopaedic Association; and Southern Medical Association. He was a Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; American College of Surgeons; and the American College of Sport Medicine. He was a Founding Fellow of the American Orthopaedic Foot Society. He was a Diplomat for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1954. He was on the staff of Cape Fear Memorial Hospital until his retirement in 1991. During 1972 he was Chief of Staff at Cape Fear Memorial Hospital. He was a consultant of the Commanding Officers at the US Naval Hospital at Camp Le Jeune. He was a Full Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic at UNC Chapel Hill and held a teaching position in the Orthopaedic Division of Surgery where he volunteered one day a week during the academic year. He was a consultant in occupational medicine – Muscularskeletal System of Carolina Turkey, Mt. Olive, NC in 1988. He was a Board Member of the NC Ergonomic Resource Center in 1975. Jim volunteered to go on his day off to Chapel Hill to teach the third year medical students. For more than three decades of teaching UNC medical students, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award in 2005. In 2013 he was the recipient of the Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame Award for his contributions in the safety of all sports participants.

He is survived by his wife of twenty-two years, Emma Maxwell Dineen, a teacher and principal for 39 years, and by his children, Robert S. (Martha), David A. (Debbie), Dr. Jeffrey J. (Donna), Kevin W., Mary Jo, and Brian J. (Marcie); his grandchildren are: Katherine, Dana, Jennifer, Sharon, Bobby, Leslie, William, Collins, Ben, Erin, Courtney, Meagan, Chase, T. J., and Corrine. He is survived by seven great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Other survivors are sister-in-law Barbara Dineen of Ormond Beach, Florida and brother-in-law Jeff Maxwell (Belva) of Stedman, NC. The family wishes to thank the staff of Davis Rehabilitation and Wellness Center, Woodbury Wellness Center in Hampstead, and The Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center for their loving and compassionate care. The family will receive friends from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Thursday, July 24, 2014 at Andrews Mortuary Market Street Chapel. A memorial service will be held at St. Mark Catholic Church on Eastwood Road Friday morning, July 25 at 10:00 am. Memorial gifts may be made to the James R. Dineen Nursing Scholarship Fund at UNCW, any veteran’s organizations of your choice, or to The Lower Cape Fear and Life Care Center, 1406 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401. – See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/starnewsonline/obituary.aspx?n=James-Dineen&pid=171790062#sthash.twNw9utH.dpuf