Meshach Haskell (Hack) Newman, M.S., M.D., 1937 to 2021

M. Haskell Newman (Fig. 1), or Hack as he was affectionately known, was born and raised in Shattuck, Oklahoma. He was a third-generation physician whose grandfather established what was eventually known as the “Mayo of the West” in the early twentieth century. Hack graduated from the New Mexico Military Institute, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Tennessee Medical School. He moved to Ann Arbor in 1962 to begin his residency in otorhinolaryngology. In 1968, he completed ear, nose, and throat training and earned a Master of Science degree in acoustic physiology from the University of Michigan. He then spent 3 years as a captain in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany, overseeing the ear, nose, and throat care of over 450,000 service men and women and their families. During this time, his lifelong interest in wine was cultivated as he also served as the purchasing agent for the wine cellars of the officer’s clubs at U.S. military bases in Europe. After completing his tour of duty, he joined the faculty at the University of Michigan as an assistant professor in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology in 1971. His primary area of clinical interest was management of posttraumatic and congenital facial deformities. He was a dedicated ear, nose, and throat faculty member for 4 years providing outstanding patient care, educating the next generation of otolaryngologists, and advancing the field through innovation. Dr. Newman was always searching for ways to improve his outcomes and provide patients with optimal care, particularly those with congenital or traumatic craniofacial and maxillofacial deformities. As a result, Dr. Newman chose to become a trainee once again and undertook a fellowship in facial plastic surgery with Richard Webster, M.D., at the Webster Clinic in Brookline, Massachusetts. After completing the facial plastic surgery fellowship, Dr. Newman was encouraged by Reed O. Dingman, D.D.S., M.D., and William C. Grabb, M.D., to expand his scope of practice dramatically by training in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Michigan. Dr. Newman recalled, In the fall of 1974, I was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and I applied for a residency position in plastic surgery. The interview with Dr. Dingman centered on the joint interest in the developing specialty of craniofacial surgery. Despite all of these years of training, Dr. Newman was still not done expanding his skills and knowledge. Dr. Newman remembered, After completing the residency in Plastic Surgery, encouraged by Drs. Dingman and Grabb, I completed a fellowship in craniofacial surgery with Dr. Ian Munro at the University of Toronto. In 1978, I was recruited by Dr. Grabb to establish a multidisciplinary team to provide consistency and safety with the most advanced treatment for patient suffering from craniofacial anomalies. After two different residencies (ear, nose, and throat and plastic surgery) and two different fellowships (facial plastic surgery and craniofacial surgery) he rejoined the University of Michigan faculty as a professor and chief of pediatric and craniofacial plastic surgery. Dr. Newman was able to successfully start the new craniofacial surgery program along with Dr. Eddie Kahn, chairman of neurosurgery and with Dr. Louis Argenta, who had recently completed a fellowship with Dr. Tessier in Paris. The program included both adult and pediatric patients and grew dramatically from that point onward.Fig. 1.: M. Haskell Newman, M.D.During the course of his career, Dr. Newman gained a national reputation for his expertise in the areas of pediatric plastic surgery, cleft lip and palate surgery, adult maxillofacial surgery, aesthetic surgery, and rhinoplasty. He gave numerous presentations nationally and internationally and published on a wide variety of clinical topics. He was a major contributor to plastic surgery and advanced our field through his clinical care of patients and his leadership. He served in many leadership roles nationwide including serving as president of the Rhinoplasty Society, the Michigan Academy of Plastic Surgeons, the Plastic Surgery Otorhinolaryngology Society, and the Michigan Cleft Palate Association. He served on numerous committees for our most prestigious plastic surgery societies and was the associate editor of the Cleft Palate Journal. As an educator, Dr. Newman had no equals. He was revered as a faculty member in the section of plastic surgery because of his kind, thoughtful, supportive, honest, and humble nature (Fig. 2). He was a perfect mentor and role model for the over 125 plastic surgery residents he trained and the countless medical students he helped. Although he was always incredibly busy, he always made time to sit down and provide mentorship and help to residents and students at all levels. He had the rare gift of being able to assist residents performing the most complex and challenging cases and to do it in a calm and relaxed environment. He could make anyone feel like they were an amazing surgeon. He would never compromise patient care in any way, but would always ensure that the resident’s clinical experience was optimally valuable and educational. He was a gem and we all were so fortunate to be able to train with him. His patient, thorough approach in the operating room has contributed to developing a huge number of highly skilled, conscientious, and thoughtful plastic surgeons throughout the country who amplify his contributions through their work. Dr. Newman’s legacy is forever cemented at Michigan through the M. Haskell Newman Professorship. This endowed professorship in the section of plastic surgery both honors Dr. Newman’s contributions and ensures that Michigan’s special focus on pediatric plastic surgery, an area that meant so much to Hack, will endure.Fig. 2.: Dr. Newman congratulating our graduating chief residents.Dr. Newman was a born surgeon with outstanding surgical skills and a command of the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Through his extensive training and experience, he had an incredible clinical vision that allowed him to accept and to manage the most complex clinical challenges. He was a truly gifted surgeon in all respects. His kind and compassionate approach to patient care made his clinical and technical excellence that much more impressive. He was so calm and gentle in his care of patients that he was able to put any patient at ease, even those really apprehensive patients in need. Dr. Newman has said, “My greatest achievement in clinical practice was survival, survival, survival.” Clearly, Dr. Newman was far too humble, but this humility was sincere and honest, which made Hack such an incredible role model for all of us. Hack was truly a renaissance man with extensive accomplishments and contributions in so many different domains. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the arts and was on the board of Ars Musica, a local early music ensemble in Ann Arbor. From his earliest years, he and his wife, Jan (Fig. 3), were frequent attendees and supporters of the University Musical Society. His interest in American history led him to serve on the board of directors of the William L. Clements Historical Library. Dr. Newman never lost interest in learning about the fine wines that he first experienced during his years spent in Europe. He built on this deep knowledge of wine with his fellow oenophiles in the Commanderie de Bordeaux Detroit over the years.Fig. 3.: Hack and Jan Newman, the happy couple.Most importantly, he was a family man. When he was asked what is the single most important thing to learn in residency, he responded with, “Find a hobby while caring for your family, because surgery is the easy part.” As the father of four sons, he enthusiastically encouraged their interest in baseball, soccer, and hockey, spending hours attending their games and enjoying Michigan athletics. Family ski trips first introduced in Germany continued in Colorado and Utah. Visits to a Newman family enclave in Montana offered the opportunity for fly-fishing on the West Fork of the Bitterroot River, and winter escapes to the Cayman Islands introduced the Newmans to snorkeling the beautiful coral reefs. Following his demanding medical career, Hack approached retirement with an enthusiasm that surprised even his family. There was time for golf, tennis, travels, and gatherings with his wide circle of friends and family. He enjoyed learning the embellishments of bridge and the challenge of playing competitive duplicate. On April 12, 2021, an announcement was sent to his entire plastic surgery family worldwide: It is with great sadness that I must inform you that our beloved teacher, mentor, colleague, and friend, M. Haskell Newman, passed away at his home with his family at his side. This is a tremendous loss for our entire University of Michigan Plastic Surgery Family. Dr. Newman was a very special person who touched so many lives here in the University of Michigan Section of Plastic Surgery, in the Ann Arbor community, and in the specialty of Plastic Surgery. He was a true giant in our field. We will all miss his kind, compassionate and calm demeanor. We will all miss his guidance and support as he helped us to navigate difficult decisions professionally and personally. The University of Michigan Section of Plastic Surgery will forever be indebted to him for all he has given us. He helped create the program we have all been benefiting from. We have lost an amazing man and he will be sorely missed. May his memory be a blessing to all of you. Hack, we will all miss you tremendously. The most fitting thing for us to do is simply to say thank you for everything you have done for all of us and for the specialty of plastic surgery. Your memory will live forever through all of us.

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