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Obituary: Thomas F. Gilchrist

Posted on April 2, 2009 by Staff

Thomas F. Gilchrist died Sunday, March 22, 2009 at the University of North Carolina Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill, NC after a brief struggle with thyroid cancer. He was 72.

Born June 23, 1936 in Macomb, IL, and raised in Shreveport, LA, he graduated from Mercersburg Academy and from Northwestern University with a B.A. in English. He received his M.D. from Tulane University and completed both his internship and pathology residency at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. He later completed a forensic pathology residency at the Dallas County Institute of Forensic Sciences. From 1967 to 1970 he served in the United States Army at the 406th Med Lab at Camp Zama, Japan, attaining the rank of Major.

A resident of Chapel Hill since 2003, Dr. Gilchrist was retired from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Farmington, CT, where he served for 13 years as Associate Medical Examiner. During his career he also practiced in New Orleans, Dallas and Montgomery, AL.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Gale K. Gilchrist. Also surviving are his son Robert of Shreveport, LA, and wife Leslye and their two sons, Jackson and Aidan; his son Reid of Los Angeles; and his daughter Tracy Link of Carrboro, NC, and husband Mac and their two daughters Mallory and Kathryn.

A memorial service was held on March 26 at the Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill.

Memorial gifts may be made to “The Light on the Hill Campaign,” The Chapel of the Cross, 304 East Franklin St., Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514.

1 thought on “Obituary: Thomas F. Gilchrist”

  1. Mark says:
    May 9, 2009 at 6:30 pm

    I knew Dr. Gilchrist when he worked in Montgomery, Alabama I had just started working for the state. I learned a lot from him. Was sorry to read about his death.

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