Edward Buonocore

Edward Buonocore M.D, Professor Emeritus of Radiology at the University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville, passed away on February 15, 2018 at Parkwest Hospital after a brief illness. He was 86 years old.

Born in 1931, “DR. B.” was one of five first generation Italian-American siblings born to Edwardo Buonocore and Theresa Muilare Buonocore of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Dr. Buonocore received his A.B. from Columbia College, New York, NY, in 1952 and his M.D. from the State University of New York, Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1956. After his medical internship and residency at Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn, he completed a radiology residency at The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH in 1963.

Prior to his residency, he served his county for two years as a captain in the United States Air Force.

Dr. Buonocore’s distinguished career includes service as a staff radiologist, academic professor, and chair of the radiology departments at both The Cleveland Clinic (1963-1979 and 1979-1984) and The University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville (1966-1979 and 1984-2000). Significant contributions while at UTMCK include MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and PET (Positron Emission Tomography). He continued to keep on top of the technologic trends in radiology and medicine, including the then-new field of remote medical consultation and diagnosis.

Other service at UTMCK included chairing a major fundraising effort for the expansion of the Medical Center, directing the Center for Community Health, and chairing the Committee for Emerging Medical Technology Assessment.

In addition to his clinical service, Dr. Buonocore was an active member of several medical professional associations at the local, state, and national levels and served as an editor and manuscript reviewer for professional publications. He was published extensively in peer-reviewed medical journals and gave many presentations, both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Buonocore was considered a compassionate physician, tireless mentor, trusted colleague, and fierce advocate for the rights of physicians in a time of transition of major decision power away from physicians to hospital administration and health insurance companies.

He enjoyed and promoted excellence in medicine, the arts, and education. His hobbies were golf, tennis, gardening, music, reading and life-long learning.

Dr. Buonocore was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and two sisters, and his first wife, Marion Pepe Buonocore. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Howell Buonocore; children Susan Lynn and Don Zaunbrecher of Cincinnati, OH; Patricia Clare Medlin of Chattanooga, TN; Christy Leigh Howell and R.J. Moore of Portland, OR; and Joseph Christaan and Ashley Brown Howell of Nashville, TN; and grandson Joseph Dowling Howell.

The family will receive friends Monday, February 19 from 4 to 5p.m. at Berry Highland Memorial Funeral Home, 5315 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919 – (865) 240-0711. Memorial service to follow with Reverend George Doebler officiating. Private family service for inurnment.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Department of Radiology, The University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, TN, or a charity of choice.

Condolences can be shared at www.highlandmemorialknoxville.com.