ALFRED D. THORMAN, PA-C
1948 - 2000

Alfred D. Thorman, PA-C, a two time past FAPA President, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, July 26, 2000, near his home in Texas while playing tennis. The apparent cause of death was a cardiac arrest. Al was 52 years old.

Al graduated from PA school at the Cleveland Clinic and then took his first position in Family Practice in Ocala , Florida. He then moved to Tennessee where he was employed at the VA Hospital in Mountain Home. In the early 80's, he transferred to the VA Hospital in Gainesville where he learned to love the Gators and also took up the FAPA as his personal cause.

Al was President of the FAPA in 1981-1982, and then again in 1986-1987. During his tenure as President, he served as the Chief Delegate to the AAPA conferences and also served as one of the members of the PA Committee to the Board of Medicine which drafted some important legislation affecting the profession of that day. Because of his tireless efforts to the PA cause and his many years of service to the FAPA, he was named as the recipient of the Bob Scully PA of the Year Award in 1988.

Al eventually transferred to the VA Outpatient Clinic in Lufkin, Texas, where he continued his PA career. Al was also in the military for about 25 years and he retired from the Texas National Guard in May 2000.

Mike Bucci, a past FAPA President, remembers the "lean" days of the FAPA and recalled Al's contributions to the organization. "For most of us, Al was instrumental in the development of the Academy into a true statewide organization." He helped draft the 1986 legislation which allowed Florida PAs to change jobs without having to negotiate the Board of Medicine application process. He led the Academy when the officers paid the postage to send out mail and literally passed a hat at an early meeting to fund FAPA operations. Al was a mainstay back in the days when we struggled to gain any kind of recognition for the profession. He spent his own money when the treasury went dry.

Of all the fond memories of Al, one of the ones that people remember most was when he met you, his greeting was "How are you doing, my friend?"

Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife and children. Al, we will miss that bright smile, the energy that seemed endless, that wonderful greeting, but most of all we will miss you....Our Friend.

Al is survived by his wife, Barbara Thorman, daughter Renee (a PA in Chicago); son Phillip; stepson, Aaron; and his mother, Helen Thorman, and a sister, Peggy Thorman of Florida.

Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to the American Cancer Society, or the American Heart Association.

(Reprinted from the FAPA PAPer, October 2000)

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