OBITUARY: Stephen Dudiak, physician and humanitarian (02/22/04)

OBITUARY: Stephen Dudiak, physician and humanitarian

MADISON, Wis. - Dr. Stephen Dudiak died January 16 at his home in Madison, Wis., surrounded by his loving wife and family.

Stephen Dudiak was born on September 4, 1925, in Savelivka, Ukraine. He was accepted into medical school in Lviv but his medical education was soon disrupted by World War II, forcing him to continue his studies initially at the University of Prague (Czecho-Slovakia) and subsequently at the University of Munich (Germany), where he received his medical degree in 1950.

Dr. Dudiak immigrated to the United States and completed his internship at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Chicago, followed by residency training in radiology and radiotherapy at Harper Hospital in Detroit.

During this time he met his wife and life companion, Lusia Korybutiak. They were married on October 8, 1955. From 1955 to 1957, Dr. Dudiak served as a captain in the United States Army in Germany and during this time became a U.S. citizen - two honors of which he was very proud.

After working for a year as a radiologist at St. Mary's Hospital in Racine, Wis., Dr. Dudiak moved his family to Madison. He joined the Department of Radiology at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison, where he remained for 30 years. He served in several leadership roles, including those of chairman of the Department of Radiology, chief of staff, and member and chair of the Advisory Board. He was also named an assistant clinical professor of radiology at the University of Wisconsin Clinical Sciences Center.

Dr. Dudiak was a member of numerous professional societies, including the American College of Radiology, Society of Nuclear Medicine, Radiological Society of North America, American Roentgen Ray Society, Ukrainian Medical Association of North America and Friends of Radiology in Ukraine. He was a longstanding member of the Madison Rotary Club. He was also a lifelong Ukrainian scout.

Following his retirement, Dr. and Mrs. Dudiak in 1992 conceived and developed the Medical Clinic on Wheels, with grants from Schwan's Sales Enterprises and many other donors. This was a humanitarian project dedicated to the provision of free medical and dental care to women and children living in the region affected by the Chornobyl nuclear disaster in western Ukraine.

To help assure long-term success, their mission also included the sharing of current medical knowledge and technology with local Ukrainian physicians, dentists and ancillary health care workers. These efforts continue to provide essential services to many citizens of Ukraine. To further an expanded intellectual culture in their former homeland, they also established scholarship funds at the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy and the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv.

In tandem with his professional and humanitarian accomplishments, Dr. Dudiak lived life intensely and had many other interests and abilities, including gardening, skiing, beekeeping and woodworking. He and his wife traveled the world extensively and maintained a rich intellectual life. They served as hosts for numerous friends, academics, poets and artists, as well as for foreign students.

To his family, Dr. Dudiak was a loving and supportive husband, father and grandfather. He was a guiding force and gentle inspiration by way of his work ethic, humanity, generosity, and inner strength. His compassion was profound and far-reaching. Those who have had the good fortune to have been touched even briefly by his kind and generous spirit will lead richer lives because of him.

He will be missed by his beloved wife and partner, Lusia, four daughters and their husbands, Christine (Steve) Dudiak-Davis, Romi (Mark) Wilhelm, Kika (Henry) Dudiak-Pitot, Tamara (Chris) Dudiak-Maeder, and six grandchildren.

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