We are deeply saddened by the recent death of our friend and colleague, John Hickner. Although we are grieving, we consider ourselves fortunate to have had John in our lives and to be able to share a few of his many accomplishments and attributes. Anyone who knew John knew that he had many gifts. But above all, John was kind, generous, and thoughtful. Val, John's wife of 48 years, and their family were at the center of John's world. Everything John did was a reflection of his love for his family.
John was a small-town family physician, and this guided virtually all of his professional endeavors. He was a member of the faculty for the Michigan State University Department of Family Medicine in Escanaba, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. While in the Upper Peninsula, he helped establish 2 practice-based research networks: the statewide Michigan Research Network (MiRNet)...