Dr. Walter Hartley Ettinger Jr.'s Obituary
Walter Hartley Ettinger, M.D.
Dr. Walter Hartley Ettinger, Jr. died peacefully with his wife and children by his side. Walt, as he was known to most, was 70 years old.
“To live in the hearts of those we left behind is not to die” cannot be truer for all those who loved him. Walter leaves behind the love of his life, his wife of 36 years Susan Wright Ettinger, his beloved children Elizabeth (Beth) Walter Maybach, Justin Lyon Ettinger, Alexander (Alex) Wright Ettinger, their respective spouses, Robert (Rob) Maybach and Caroline Watson; his beautiful grandchildren Genevieve Maybach, Emma Maybach and Kye Hartley Ettinger -whom he cherished and who will always have their ‘Dapa’ in their hearts and; his dear sister Penelope (Penny) Ettinger, brother-in-law Kris Bauman, and nieces Elizabeth and Susanna Bauman.
Walter was born on October 18, 1951, to the late Walter H. Ettinger, Sr. and Norma Jeanne Ettinger and was raised in the small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. He played football and track for Chagrin Falls High School and graduated with honors - an accomplishment for which he credited the teachers and a coach who in him saw beyond a troubled youth and encouraged him to embrace his potential. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with high honors from Ohio Wesleyan University, and a doctorate of medicine from Johns Hopkins University. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital and fellowships, in Rheumatology, and Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Dr. Ettinger built a distinguished career practicing medicine, beginning at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center where he advanced to become the Director of the J. Paul Sticht Center on Aging. He made numerous contributions including the creation of a nationally recognized clinical, research and training program in gerontology and geriatric medicine. Dr. Ettinger was the recipient of numerous awards and honors – including the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Johns Hopkins (2014). Beginning in 1994, he was named to the Best Doctors in America in Geriatric Medicine for 18 consecutive years.
Walter spoke little about his awards and accomplishments. He often commented that what was most meaningful to him was – caring for patients, educating students, and mentoring young physicians. As a physician, Dr. Ettinger was witness to the inequities and extraordinary costs of health care which instilled in him a desire to improve the delivery of medical services. In order to do so, Dr. Ettinger earned his MBA from the Wake Forest University Babcock School of Management. From there, he was appointed to executive positions including at the University of Massachusetts where he served as the Associate Vice-Provost for Clinical and Population Health, and as President of UMass Memorial Medical Center.
After moves to North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, Walter and Susan ultimately returned to Baltimore to settle permanently, back where their lives together had begun. There, he enjoyed participating in local community programs including South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, Federal Hill Neighborhood Association, and Our Daily Bread. Walter stayed active in the field of medicine, working with Witt/Kieffer, Inc. a national physician executive recruiting firm, and mentoring physicians through the Carol Emmett Scholarship.
Walt enjoyed travel, reading, and most of all his family. He loved living close to his family and grandchildren. He was always one to have sound advice, especially for his children. He was incredibly proud of his children’s accomplishments and always looked forward to the many times the family spent together – whether the traditional Thanksgiving family football game, enjoying a little “brown stuff” (usually bourbon) with the boys, or reading to the grandchildren. He cherished Kye, Genevieve, and Emma and was always up for a game of hide-and-seek or a walk to the park. He loved traveling with Susan to faraway places and learning about the world. Walter’s passion for learning never waned and maybe never will- for as he shared with his sister, “I’m not scared of dying. I am curious to find what’s on the other side.” We will miss him every day but he will live in our hearts forever.
Walter Ettinger died on October 17, 2022, from complications of prostate cancer.
Services will be held at Old St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 233 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201, on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 10:00AM. Parking is available in the St. Paul Place parking lot behind the church. Exit the parking lot at Charles St. exit and turn right to the church. Parking validation is available in the back of the church.
In lieu of flowers, Walter and his family request that donations be directed to the following organizations.
Gilchrist Hospice Baltimore, MD – www.gilchristcares.org/giving
Please designate Home/Residential Center Hospice Care
Our Daily Bread, Baltimore, MD. Donations can be made https://cc-md.org/ways-to-give/donate
Please designate Our Daily Bread
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