Samuel A. Canaan Jr., M.D., assistant professor emeritus of clinical ophthalmology and visual sciences, died Friday, Oct. 19, of congestive heart failure at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. He was 85.
Canaan was an ophthalmologist for more than 50 years and was the nation’s first African-American retinal surgeon.
He came to the School of Medicine for a fellowship in retinal surgery from 1959-1963, after which he went into private practice.
He was chief of ophthalmology at the St. Louis VA Medical Center-John Cochran Division and held hospital appointments at many area hospitals, including Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
He is survived by his wife, Earciel; daughters Donzella and Samantha; two grandchildren and many cousins.
A memorial service was held Oct. 27 at Antioch Baptist Church in St. Louis. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Samuel A. Canaan Jr. Memorial Fund by making a check payable to the Department of Ophthalmology, Washington University School of Medicine, and marking “In memory of Dr. Samuel A. Canaan Jr.” on the memo line, then sending to Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Attn: Michael A. Kass, M.D., 660 S. Euclid Ave., Campus Box 8096, St. Louis, MO 63110.