Mark W. Groch, Ph.D., 53, of Lisle, IL, formerly of Chicago, Mt. Prospect and Elk Grove Village, died Saturday, May 11, 2002 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago. He was a loving husband to Enid, nee Draus; father to Kari (William Paul) Rodgers and Paul John; loving son to Julian and the late Rose, nee Trhlik; and brother of David. He will be greatly missed by many relatives, friends, associates and the Nuclear Medicine community. Mark was born Feb. 1, 1949 and grew up in Chicago’s Garfield Ridge neighborhood. He was a graduate of Kennedy High School and received his undergraduate and Master’s Degree in physics from DePaul University, Chicago. After graduating from DePaul, Mark began his career in the Applied Physics and Research Group at Searle Radiographics (now a division of Siemens), specializing in the field of Nuclear Medicine. Over the course of 15 years, Mark developed a number of patented imaging instruments and software programs for cardiac nuclear medicine, and was eventually promoted to Director of the Nuclear Cardiology Research Group at Searle. Mark then spent eight years as Senior Medical Physicist in Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, and Professor of Medical Physics and Radiology at Rush University Medical and Health Science Colleges, where he received his doctorate in Medical Physics. Mark returned to Siemens as a Senior Principal Research Scientist and group leader for four more years, and for the last seven years, Mark was Senior Nuclear Medicine Physicist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Associate Professor of Radiology at Northwestern University Medical School. Mark had been an active member in the Society of Nuclear Medicine for 20 years, serving on several of its scientific councils, had recently been elected President of the Central Chapter of the Society, and was currently a nominee for president of the National Society. Mark had also published numerous scientific and clinical articles in nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging, most of those in the field of nuclear cardiology, to which he dedicated his career, and to which he contributed greatly. Mark’s effectiveness as a medical physicist was amplified by his extensive knowledge not only of the scientific aspects of his job, but of the clinical implications of his work. He was a mentor and friend to the technologies, scientists, and physicians with whom he worked, and made an indelible mark on countless professionals in his field. Mark served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1971-1978. In the early ’80’s he was a member and served as Chairman of the Board of Education at St. John Lutheran Church in Mount Prospect. He was currently a member of Bethany Lutheran Church, Naperville and Christ Lutheran Church in Fairfield Glade, TN (where the family had a second home). Mark was a sports enthusiast over the years. He loved playing softball in many different summer leagues, throwing himself completely into the games. He loved coaching basketball for Bethany Lutheran on many levels from junior high to high school. In later years, he and his wife turned to golf at their Tennessee home. Mark had a great love of animals and was an enthusiastic supporter of West Suburban Humane Society, Downers Grove, IL. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 14 and Wednesday, May 15, 2 to 9 p.m. at The Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home, 44 S. Mill St., Naperville. Additional visitation will be held Thursday, May 16, 10 to 11 a.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, 1550 Modaff Rd., Naperville, IL. A Funeral Service will follow at 11 a.m. in the church, with Rev. Timothy Rossow officiating. Entombment will be at Bethania Cemetery, Justice, IL. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Society of Nuclear Medicine, Education & Research Foundation, in memory of Dr. Mark W. Groch, 1060 Arbor Lane, Northfield, IL 60093. For info, 630-355-0213 .
