Danny Ray Sawyer, Professor Emeritus, Case Western Reserve University, 73, of Wake Forest passed away Tuesday, February 5, 2019. He was born August 24, 1945 in Neosho, Missouri, son of the late Fredrick P. and Kathryn Fockler Sawyers.
Danny attended Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, W. Va., graduating with a B.S. degree in biology with a minor in chemistry. While attending Alderson-Broaddus, he met his wife, of 50 years, former Kathleen Bonnie Modak from Campbell, Ohio.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in 1968 from Alderson-Broaddus College, he attended the Medical College of Virginia (M.C.V.) in Richmond where he earned his degree in 1973, his doctorate in general and experimental pathology in 1977, and completed his residency in oral and maxillofacial pathology.
Following completion of his formal education, Danny conducted field research on the general oral health conditions of ancient civilizations in Chile and Peru. In 1977, commissioned medical/dental missionaries by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board, the Sawyers lived in Lagos, Nigeria for five years where Danny taught pathology and ran a surgical biopsy service at the College of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Lagos. Subsequently, he served as Research Professor at the University of Glasgow, Scotland.
Returning to the states, Danny has a dual appointment at the Medical College and was Professor and Chair of the School of Dentistry, Loyola University, Chicago. In addition, he ran an oral and maxillofacial pathology biopsy service as faculty of the Stritch School of Medicine. He also had a dual appointment at the Medical School and served as Professor and Chair of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, and Associate Dean at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine.
Danny is survived by his wife, Kathleen Bonnie Modak Sawyer; three children, Robert Sawyer (Katherine) of Wake Forest, North Carolina; Katherine Sawyer (Stephen Aaron) of Long Island, New York; Alison Sawyer (Chad Higgins) of Boone, North Carolina; sister Patricia (David) Yancey of Murphy, North Carolina; four grandchildren, Frederick, Jonathan, Henry, and Thomas Sawyer.
Memorials may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, 801 Bamboo Rd, Boone, NC 28607.
Funeral services will be conducted Thursday, February 7, 2019 at 3:00 pm in the Chapel of Bright Funeral Home, 405 S. Main St., Wake Forest. Pastor Jamie O’Brien officiating. The family will receive friends from 2:00 – 3:00 pm (one hour prior to the service).
www.brightfunerals.com
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