Brig. Gen. C. Thomas Yarington Jr., M.D., who started the UNMC Department of Otolaryngology in 1968, died May 30, in Seattle. He was 73.
Dr. Yarington was professor and chairman of the department of otolaryngology at UNMC from 1968 to 1974.
“Dr. Yarington was the most influential person in my life, after my parents and wife,” said Anthony Yonkers, M.D., professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery who was recruited by Dr. Yarington to the volunteer faculty and eventually succeeded him as department chairman. “He was very intelligent and had a gift to see through the smoke and mirrors to solve perplexing problems. Dr. Yarington’s talent, intelligence and compassion will be sorely missed.”
Dr. Yarington’s funeral will be Friday at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Seattle with military honors.
A native of Sayre, Pa., Dr. Yarington was mobilization assistant to the deputy surgeon general at U.S. Air Force Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He had a lengthy military career and received many military decorations and awards.
In his civilian capacity, Dr. Yarington was chief of otolaryngology, plastic and reconstructive surgery at Mason Clinic and Virginia Mason Hospital, and later chief of its department of surgery. He also was clinical professor of otolaryngology at the University of Washington College of Medicine in Seattle and a visiting professor of surgery at The Uniformed Services University of The Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md.
Dr. Yarington retired from the Air Force in 1986 and from The Mason Clinic in 1997. Most recently, he was involved in a consultant practice in otolaryngology and medical management.
In 2006, Dr. Yarington was nominated by the president and confirmed by the senate to a position on The Board of Regents of The Uniformed Services University of The Health Sciences in Bethesda.
Dr. Yarington is survived by the former Barbara Johnson of Elmira, N.Y. The couple has three daughters: Barbara Jane, Jennifer Lynn and Leslie Ann.