Ganch, David
David Cornell Ganch left this world peacefully, surrounded by family, in the wee hours of September 26, at the age of 83. He was one of those rare individuals who got to make his final transition on his own terms. His unquenchable thirst for life faded to a flicker when the love of his life, his wife Sheila, unexpectedly passed in December 2020. After that, it was seemingly just a matter of time until he was reunited with Sheila, and he embarked on his last journey with the help of the gentle ministrations of home hospice care.
David and Sheila loved to travel, and they went everywhere, from the landmarks in Europe to the savannas of Africa to the rain forests of South America. They went on trains and planes and fourwheel drives, but their happy place was aboard a ship on the ocean. They loved to cruise and went on more ships than they could possibly count. If there are conveyances on the other side, he and Sheila have a suite with a balcony on the Paradise of the Seas, with ports of call at cities in a magical world.
David will always be remembered as a fabulous doctor. He lived to heal, help and teach. He began at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and then honed his craft with an internship at Detroit’s inner city Receiving Hospital. His youthful enthusiasm in those days was boundless, and the stories he told from his time in the trenches were insightful and hilarious. He spent two years as a captain at Nellis Air Force Base, doing general practice, and fulfilling his Vietnam era military obligation. He and Sheila lived in Las Vegas then, and got to see that city when the lights were still neon and the Rat Pack ruled the Strip. From there, he finished his residency in Urology at Hines VA hospital in Chicago. He then practiced at the Glen Ellyn Clinic and Central DuPage Hospital. He semi-retired at the young age of 55, but never stopped being healer and a helper and a mentor. He volunteered his services generously, and regularly helped to train urology residents at Hines VA.
David was a guy who never quit, and never was afraid of working hard to achieve his goals. He was struck with a serious stroke many years ago that left him with weakness on his right side and also required him to relearn every name he knew. Later he battled thru breast cancer and numerous heart conditions, but that couldn’t stop him. He still worked out in the gym harder than most men his age, walked everywhere, and never complained about the cards he’d been dealt.
Anyone who spent any time with David would remember two things about him: his wonderful sense of humor and his seemingly bottomless ability to consume all food within reach. He and Sheila were a perfect match in many ways, but high on the list was that Sheila loved to cook and David loved to eat. During his Vegas years, he regularly beat the house at their own game, by ravaging their all-you-can-eat
buffets. David was quick to laugh, and had a distinctive eye-roll when something struck him as absurd.
And he could tell a joke with the best of them, often proving that urologists knew better dirty jokes than anyone. Last but not least, he could talk...and talk… and talk! And anyone who knew him knows exactly what I mean!
David was preceded in death by his mother, Virginia, his father, Manny, and of course, his lifelong love and soulmate, Sheila. He leaves behind a loving
family who will never be the same without him, including his son Steven Ganch, and his wife Terri , his daughter Lisa Ganch and husband David Carroll and their kids Katie and Annie, his sisters, Cheryl Ganch and Barrie Galvin, and her husband Danny.
Then there’s me, Ben Wendell, his brother-in-law, the one writing this tribute, and my wife, Meredith. I’ll never forget David, and I’ll forever be richer for having known him my whole life. He was my idol growing up, and the main reason I decided to be a doctor myself.
David was defined by caring and generosity. He was generous with his love and laughter and wisdom. In a final act of generosity, his earthly remains are on their way to The Ohio State University College of Medicine, where he will fittingly help to teach young
doctors one last time. His memory will forever be a blessing.
Donations can be made in his honor to the UNICEF: Children in Crossfire of Ukraine Crisis. A Celebration of life will take place in Chicago in June 2023 with details to be announced.
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