Pat A. Barelli

Pat A. Barelli, M.D., Otorhinolarngologist, formerly of Kansas City, Missouri and Mission Hills, Kansas, died at home Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at the age of 92. Dr. Barelli was born February 13, 1919. He was preceded in death by his parents Antonio Barelli and Jennie Montelbano Barelli-DeSimone, both were born in Sambuca Zabut, Sicily. His mother Jennie owned Jennies’ Italian Dinners and Restaurant, a 1950’s pioneer in television food shows.

Dr. Barelli is survived by his wife of 68 years Sarah June Paulk. The couple married in Coffeyville, Kansas. They have five children; Tony, John, Tom, Mike and Susie; 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Dr. Barelli was well loved by everyone, known for his understanding, kind, patient, gentle professionalism, loving medical care for all whether they could pay or not, and generous hospitality to all.

He was known for his hospitality to friends, family, and strangers. His hobbies included photography, travel, history and science.

He served in the U.S. Infantry Reserve, and the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Europe, at the Nuremberg 385th Army Medical Hospital. He was responsible for the medical care of one thousand Nazi prisoners of war. As an observer, he was assigned in Germany to the Nuremberg Trials, and cared for some of the high Nazi officers before they were executed or imprisoned.

He received an honorable discharge, rank of Captain in 1947. At the University of Kansas Medical Center, Dr. Pat completed his residency in Ear Nose & Throat. He also did post graduate work in Pathology. He participated and taught many international courses in Otology and Rhinology. He was in private practice in the Greater Kansas City area from 1950 until retiring in 1991.

Dr. Barelli served as a Clinical Professor of Surgery & Dentistry, E.N.T., at the U.M.K.C. School of Medicine. He also served as visiting professor, lecturer in many universities such as Yale, Southern California, Stanford, Cincinnati, Tulane, and in many foreign countries such as Mexico, Israel, England, Ecuador, Yugoslavia, Netherlands, France, Italy, Brazil and Columbia.

During his time of practice, he served as Chief of Ear, Nose and Throat, Kansas City General Hospital and Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri; Chief E.N.T., St. Mary’s Hospital; Chief of E.N.T., Trinity Lutheran hospital; Staff Member St. Joseph’s Hospital, Research Medical Center; Baptist Medical Center; and Shawnee Mission Suburban Medical Center; and frequent Course Director, University of Missouri School of Dentistry.

Dr. Barelli received many awards: Honor Award, American Rhinologic Society for Physician, Teacher, and Surgeon; Certificate of Merit for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Medical Research and Education in Rhinology, University of Leiden, Leiden, Holland; Golden Head Mirror Award for meritorious sharing in the Service of Rhinology; Certificate of Merit, Kansas City Southwest Clinical Society; Honorary Citizen of Quito, Ecuador; Honorary Citizen of New Orleans and Key To the City; Ralph Ringo Coffey Award, Truman Medical Center; Honorary Award, Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Nick: The Maurice H. Cottle, M.D., Rhinologist of the Decade Honor Award; The Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Kansas University; and the Phi Sigma, Biological Society, Kansas University.

A few of Dr. Barelli’s executive or board memberships or associations include: The native Sons & Daughters of Greater Kansas City; The Civil War Roundtable; The Greater Kansas City Hearing and Speech Center; Missouri State Medical Association; American Rhinologic Society Regional; (Charter) International Rhinologic Society; (Founding) Centurion Club for Deafness Research Foundation; Jackson County Medical Society; American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; Southwest Clinical Society; American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology; International College of Surgeons; Association of Academic Departments of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery; (Contributor) Journal of International Rhinology; Ear, Nose and Throat Magazine.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, April 25th, 10:30 a.m., at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 911 East Missouri Avenue, Kansas City, MO, where the Rosary will be prayed at 9:45 a.m., burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd and Quivira Rd., Lenexa, KS. Visitation will be held Saturday, April 23rd, at McGilley State Line Chapel, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., vigil service and eulogies will take place at 7:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care and to Holy Rosary Parish.