Julius A. Mackie

Dr. Julius A. Mackie, 75, a gifted surgeon and professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine for 45 years who taught his students to care about their patients, died of cancer Saturday at his home in Bryn Mawr.

At the age of 26, Dr. Mackie joined the faculty of Penn's School of Medicine. Except for two years when he served as a surgeon in the Army in the late 1950s, he remained at Penn until he retired in 2001.

"He was an exceptionally gifted, technical surgeon," said Clyde Barker, a professor of surgery at Penn who considered Dr. Mackie a mentor.

"Students, residents and faculty members - including department chairmen - sought his advice on clinical problems and asked for him to assist in difficult operations," Barker said. "They also chose him to take care of themselves or their families."

Dr. Mackie taught surgical technique to students, and he also taught them to focus on patient care.

Dr. Mackie's specialty was cancer surgery - especially pancreatic and breast cancer. From 1970 to 1980, he was education officer of Penn's department of surgery. In 1987, the residents designated Dr. Mackie as their most valuable teacher.

His wife, Joan Wheeler Mackie, said that even after her husband retired, he continued to monitor his patients to make sure they were getting proper attention.

A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Dr. Mackie earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina. He earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and was a recipient of the Mary Ellis Bell Award for research. He joined the staff at Penn in 1956 after completing his surgical residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Most of his more than 30 articles in surgical literature were written with Jonathan Rhoads, with whom he collaborated in his surgical practice. Rhoads, a surgeon and researcher for whom Rhoads Pavilion at Penn was named, died in 2002.

Dr. Mackie maintained a home in Bryn Mawr and a farm in Villanova, where he enjoyed growing vegetables - planting seedlings with surgical precision.

"It worked," his wife said, adding that the garden flourished.

He was a member of several professional societies and an officer of the Medical Club of 13, an exclusive group of Philadelphia physicians. He was a former associate editor of the Journal of Trauma.

He served on the vestry of the Church of the Redeemer in Bryn Mawr and was a member of the board of the Shipley School.

In addition to his wife of 16 years, he is survived by his son, Alexander; daughter, Allison; stepchildren Inez, Gresham and Andrew O'Malley; four grandchildren; and his former wife, Pauline Plummer Mackie.

A funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. tomorrow at Church of the Redeemer, 250 Pennswood Rd., Bryn Mawr. Burial is private.

Memorial donations may be made to the Julius A. Mackie Jr. Surgical Fund, c/o Angela Wurster, Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St., Philadelphia 19104.