Dr. Sam A. Threefoot Jr., Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Tulane School of Medicine, medical educator and researcher, died April 25, 2015. He was 94 years old. Beloved husband of the late Virginia Rush Threefoot. Father of Barbara Stockton Mattingly (Fred), of Covington, Ginny Threefoot (Jim Lindberg), of Denver, Co., Tracy Threefoot Esenstad (Alan), of Rockville, Md. and Shelley Threefoot Cowan, of Atlanta. Brother of Dr. Henry K. Threefoot, of River Ridge.  Grandfather of James, Elizabeth and Eleanor Lindberg; Amelia and Benjamin Esenstad; and Grant and Reed Cowan.

Sam was born in Meridian, Miss. He lived most of his life in New Orleans. Upon graduating from High School in Selma, where he was president of the senior class of 1938, he entered Tulane University, College of Arts and Sciences on an honors scholarship. He was a member of Zeta Beta Tau, Beta Mu and Phi Beta Kappa. While attending Tulane Medical School during WWII he was on active duty in the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). Upon receiving his M.D., Dr. Threefoot served his internship in 1945-47 at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago. He returned to a fellowship in the Department of Medicine at Tulane where he remained as a teacher involved in research, from 1947-1970 advancing to a full professorship. From 1953-1970 he was also Director of Research and Medical Education at Touro Infirmary. From 1970-1976 he was Chief of Staff at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Augusta, Ga. and Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean at the Medical College of Georgia. He returned to New Orleans in 1976 as Associate Chief of Research at the V.A. Medical Center and Professor of Medicine at Tulane. In 1979 he became Chief of Staff at the V.A. Medical Center and Assistant Dean at Tulane and Professor of Medicine at the Louisiana State University school of Medicine until his retirement in 1991. He was also on the staffs of Charity Hospital and Tulane Medical Center Hospital. After his retirement he participated as a volunteer Adjunct Professor Emeritus of Applied Health Science in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Dr. Threefoot was involved in medical research for over 40 years, publishing over 150 papers, book chapters, abstracts and presentations of isotopic tracers of body fluids and electrolytes and on the anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system. He has published three non-scientific books. He participated in the development of medical school curricula and in the development and planning of six buildings for research facilities and hospitals. He was a founding member of the International Society of Lymphology. Other memberships include the American College of Physicians, American Federation of Clinical Research, Central Society for Clinical Research, the Society of Nuclear Medicine, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Microcirculatory Society, New York Academy of Sciences and Sigma Xi. He served on committees, boards and as an officer of many professional organizations including Board of Governors as Governor for Louisiana of the American College of Cardiology, president of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation, vice president of the American Heart Association and chairman of the Council on Circulation, president of the Louisiana Heart Association, Board of Directors of the Georgia Heart Association and president of the National Association of V.A. Chiefs of Staff. He was on the Editorial Board of Lymphology and Tulane Medicine. He received the Honors Achievement Award from the Angiology Research Foundation, the Award of Merit from the American Heart Association and special recognition from the Louisiana Regional Medical Program. Dr. Threefoot was a devoted supporter of Tulane athletics.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at Temple Sinai, 6227 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, La., 70118, with visitation beginning at 2 p.m. Rabbi Edward Paul Cohn will officiate. Private family burial in Hebrew Rest Cemetery III. Kindly omit flowers.  Memorials are suggested to Temple Sinai, Temple Mishkan Israel Foundation in Selma, Tulane University or Touro Infirmary Foundation. Tharp-Sontheimer-Tharp Funeral Home of Metairie is in charge of arrangements. Information 504-835-2341. Condolences may be expressed online at www.tharpsontheimerfh.com.