We were saddened to learn of the death of our classmate, Charles ("Chuck") Hegeman, M.D., on December 13, 2001.

Chuck is survived by his wife of 14 years, Linda Snead Hegeman, MD; children, Elizabeth, Veronica, Charles and Edward; sister, Florence McClain; brother Garnett Hegeman and many nieces and nephews. We extend to them our heartfelt condolences.

Condolences to Chuck's widow may be sent to:

Lynda Snead Hegeman, MD
10635 Wilshire Blvd. Unit 408
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Classmates wishing to append personal statements and recollections to Steve's obituary, send an e-mail to Webmasters, by clicking here.

OBITUARY
( From the Episcopal Church of the Advent)

CHARLES OXFORD HEGEMAN, Sr., M.D.

Charles was born June 15, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan to Hazel Louise Ringels and Garnett Langston Hegeman, Sr. He was the third and last child born of this union. Chuck, as he was affectionately called, was baptised at St. Matthews Episcopal Church ( Detroit) and was later confirmed at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Escorse, Michigan, a new mission organized by his parents and several other couples in 1947. He became the first acolyte of this newly organized place of worship.

Chuck received his elementary and secondary education in the Ecorse Schools where he excelled in academia, athletics and music. He received letters in tennis, football and diving. A talented musician, he played clarinet, oboe, bassoon and sang in the choir. At 16, he was selected by his high school to be its sole representative to participate in its Youth for Understanding Exchange Student Program. He spent five months in Germany with a family who had a son his same age. While in Germany, he fell in love with the language, culture and history.

Less than two months after his return to Ecorse, the German student with whom he lived won a trip to the United States. He lived with the Hegemans and attended Ecorse High School with Chuck, where the two graduated together in June 1958. Chuck attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire on an Academic/Athletic Scholarship where he started as center for the football team. His parents always made the annual trek to the Dartmouth-Harvard game every fall to watch their youngest son play. Chuck's mom and dad were very supportive and sacrificed a great deal to ensure their children's success. Chuck majored in German at Dartmouth and spent the second semester of his junior year at the University of Freiburg in Germany. While at Dartmouth he joined Tau Epsilon Phi Fraternity. Upon his graduation from Dartmouth in 1962, he began his medical education at Howard University in Washington, DC, graduating in 1966. In that year he married Jessie O. Davis. From this union came their four children Lisa, Veronica, Charles Jr. and Edward.

Chuck Sr. interned in Los Angeles County General Hospital Unit II and completed his surgical residency at the University of California, Irvine, in 1971. From 1971 to 1973 he served as a Major in the Medical Corps, stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. After his tour of duty, upon his return to Los Angeles, he began his private practice in Peripheral and Vascular Surgery. For several years he taught at Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital where he was Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery in the Charles Drew Postgraduate School of Medicine. He has served Chief of Staff of Surgery at West Adams Hospital, which later became Western Park Hospital. He was on the staff of Queen of Angels Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, Temple Community Hospital, and Centinela Hospital. Chuck was a member of several professional organizations, including the National Medical Association, the Charles Drew Society, and the John Connaly Surgical Society. He was inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons. A fan of football and crossword puzzles, this dedicated, selfless surgeon was truly a man for all seasons.

He is survived by his devoted and loving family members including his loving wife, Dr. Lynda Snead-Hegeman, two daughters, Elizabeth (Lisa) Louise Hegeman Robinson (Ron) and Veronica Grace Hegeman, two sons, Charles Oxford Hegeman, Jr. (T'Alicandra) and Edward John Davis Hegeman, sister Florence Hegeman McClain, brother Garnett Langston Hegeman, Jr. (Rosa), a host of nieces and nephews, cousins and other relatives, friends and colleagues, his church family here at the Episcopal Church of the Advent whom he loved dearly and where he had all his children confirmed. He and his wife, Lynda, Charles, Jr, and his wife T'Alicandra were all married here. His love and legacy lives and will continue to live through his children, his wife and through those whom he personally inspired and influenced.

To view the Los Angeles Times online guest book following memorial services for Chuck in January 2002 go to:
http://legacy.com/LATimes/Guestbook.asp?Page=Guestbook&PersonID=163981

December 2, 2004

Lynda Snead Hegeman, MD
10635 Wilshire Blvd. , Unit 408
Los Angeles , CA 90024

Dear Dr. Hegeman:

We recently learned from Lisa Robinson that Chuck had passed away almost three years ago. Considering the high visibility he enjoyed, both professionally and as a prominent member of our Class, I am very surprised (and somewhat embarrassed to admit) that Dartmouth had not been aware of his death. On behalf of our Class, I wanted to add our collective - though belated - condolences.

Chuck was an incredibly active member of the Dartmouth Class of ’62. Whether on the football field, in the swimming pool or in the classroom or laboratory, Chuck never ceased to impress all of us with his enthusiasm and will to excel. In addition to his intensity in the athletic arena, he demonstrated a deeply principled and compassionate attitude toward his fraternity brothers and other ’62 classmates.

David Smith, our Class co-webmaster, reminisces that “Chuck and I comprised the diving squad on the freshman swimming team under Coach Michaels. Former Olympian Gunther Mund, from Chile, was our diving coach. I fondly remember Chuck as a determined, unflappable competitor and a dedicated teammate, ready and willing to share his talent.” I’m sure we will be hearing many similar sentiments regarding Chuck as word gets out regarding his untimely and premature passing. We all will miss him.

As is the established practice of the Class of 1962, a book will be purchased and presented to Baker Library in Chuck’s memory. He will not be forgotten.

We did not receive any details regarding Chuck’s passing, and we would appreciate any further information, which (with your permission) we might post on our Class website regarding Chuck. I am enclosing a business card with my contact information.

Best regards and, again, our belated sympathies.

John C. Walters

December 2, 2004

Lisa Hegeman Robinson
243 Custer Avenue
Evanston , IL 60202

Hi Lisa,

We appreciate your efforts to make your father’s Dartmouth classmates aware that he had passed away in December 2001. As I mentioned in my letter to his wife (copy enclosed), we were really surprised, as well as saddened, by this information, and it is unusual that Dartmouth had not become aware earlier of his death. On behalf of our Class, I wanted to add our collective condolences to your sister, brothers and yourself on your loss.

Chuck was an incredibly active member of the Dartmouth Class of 1962. Although I did not play football, out of 750 men in our Class (no women back then, as you know), about 100 guys did play, all of whom had been high school standouts, and the competition was truly fierce. One of my best football friends and lacrosse teammate, Dave Usher, shared all sorts of war stories about his football experiences, and he often commented on what a tough son of a gun your Dad was after he put on the cleats and stepped on the field.

Whether on the football field, in the swimming pool or in the classroom or science labs, Chuck never ceased to impress all of us with his enthusiasm and passionate academic will to excel. He was also an active member of his fraternity (TEP), and we hope to get further insight from some of his brothers, as word spreads about Chuck. While he was an athletically intense performer, he also had a compassionate side to him, which from what I can see obviously extended to his family, and particularly his four children.

David Smith, with whom you have been communicating, sent me an email noting that “Chuck and I comprised the diving squad on the freshman swimming team under Coach Michaels. Former Olympian Gunther Mund, from Chile, was our diving coach. I fondly remember Chuck as a determined, unflappable competitor and a dedicated teammate, ready and willing to share his talent.” I’m sure we will receive many similar sentiments regarding Chuck as word gets out regarding his untimely and premature passing. He was an incredibly well-rounded and gifted guy, and we all will miss him.

As I also mentioned in my letter to Lynda, our Class has a long-established practice of making a contribution to the College Library in honor of deceased classmates, and a book will be purchased and presented to Baker Library in Chuck’s memory. He will not be forgotten.

We would be happy to learn any further information about your Dad, as a father and as a professional, which with your permission we would be happy to post on our Class website

Best regards and, once again, our belated sympathies.

John C. Walters

We lived in the same dormitory (Smith Hall) during our sophomore year and had many friends in common. We also were in several classes together, studying German. When I dropped out after my sophomore year to work in Germany (that was the only way I was going to make any progress in the language), Chuck went on to an exchange program at the University in Freiburg in Spring 1961. I had enrolled there, too, the semester before, having pumped up my German skills by living with a family that could not speak English. Chuck and I took some classes together and had some good times in between. While I only had a beat-up old bicycle, Chuck had a great motorcycle and we often zipped around the city and beyond. It was just 15 years after the end of the war -- enormous challenges and great experiences. Chuck's German was exceptionally fluent -- I still remember how the locals were stunned to hear us babbling in German. On an odd night, when we had had a bit too much of the local beer, Chuck and I would recite German poetry -- or at least what we thought was poetry -- at the top of our lungs as we made our way home.

My wife, Evelyne, and I visited Chuck and his young family in Southern California with our two year old son in 1968. The six of us had a happy, happy time. With my son on Chuck's shoulders, as he walked with my wife, and his baby daughter in my arms as I walked with his, we so enjoyed the stares we got from passers-by.

I know Chuck had a distinguished career as a surgeon. We had a good long talk by phone in the early 1990s. Alas, we were not in touch over the past ten years. Even so, I miss him and the news of his passing saddens me greatly. To his family, my wife and I offer our sincerest condolences.

Doug Skopp