George A. Randt, MD—age 74—passed away on August 22, 2015, surrounded by family and close friends after a brief but hard-fought battle with prostate cancer. Dr. Randt, son of the late Alvin G. Randt and Grace Hollingshead Randt, was born on September 13, 1940 in Lakewood, Ohio.

Dr. Randt was raised in Bay Village and graduated from Bay Village High School. He then attended the University of Michigan where he received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in 1962. He subsequently attended medical school at Western Reserve University, graduating in 1967, and then completed an internship and residency at the University of Wisconsin in Madison between 1968 and 1971—becoming board certified in Internal Medicine.

Dr. Randt served in the United States Navy Medical Corp in Pensacola, FL from 1971 to 1973 as Director of Women's Medicine, and then entered the private practice of internal medicine in Clearwater, Florida in 1973. While in Florida, he developed an interest in health promotion and physical fitness, becoming president of the West Florida Runners Club and co-director, assisted by his wife, Jean, of several combined health promotion/fitness clinics and running events to benefit the Morton Plant Hospital Foundation. In 1978, Dr. Randt received the first annual Florida Governor's Award for the promotion of physical fitness.

Dr. Randt relocated to Toledo, Ohio in 1980 to serve as medical consultant to the Riverside Hospital Health Promotion Center and Program, helping to develop a state-of-the-art health promotion program and facility. In 1984, Dr. Randt returned to Westlake, Ohio as a primary care physician and consultant to St. John West Shore Hospital for the development of a comprehensive hospital-based health promotion program, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, occupational medicine, and treatment of obesity. Returning to full-time practice of Internal Medicine in 1990, he continued an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention. He received the Presidential Sports Award in 1991.

Dr. Randt was active in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program of Cleveland and SPAN-Ohio, supporting the movement of health care for all Ohioans from birth to death. Recently, Dr. Randt served as an on-set doctor for several film production sets and conducted in-home health assessments for patients in need.

Dr. Randt sought solace and adventure in America's great outdoor treasures: the Great Lakes, the Grand Tetons, the Rockies, and parts of the Oregon coastline. He was particularly fond of the Great Smoky Mountains and hiked segments of the Appalachian Trail. He relished day hikes in the Cleveland Metroparks and trips to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Georgian Bay, ONT.

Throughout his life, Dr. Randt stayed very active, both physically and mentally. He ran three marathons and pursued physically demanding activities, including Outward Bound, cycling, sailing, sea kayaking, backpacking, cross-country skiing, and hiking with his friends, family, and beloved standard poodle, Charley. He was an avid reader, photographer, and music lover, particularly of bluegrass and blues.

Dr. Randt was politically outspoken and a devoted physician who put his patients' needs first, serving as their advocate. He was adamant about universal health care coverage for all. He believed that physicians should be able to operate independently and was a proponent for patient rights and global health care reform—so that no person should live without affordable, quality health care benefits and coverage.

Dr. Randt is survived by his brother Thomas Randt of Ft. Myers, FL; first cousins, Janet Hollingshead and Judy Hollingshead Kriger of Lenoir City, TN; children, William Randt and Jennifer Randt, of Oakland, CA; stepdaughters, Nicole Prince and Kelly Fielder, of Edmonton, ALB; niece, Christie Bartkowski of San Antonio, TX; third cousin, Andrew Thigpen; former spouse, Karen Tingley of Edmonton, ALB. Dr. Randt was looking forward to the arrival of twin grandchildren in September.

A memorial service will be planned for 2016. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Sierra Club, Commemoratives/Memorials, 85 Second St., 2nd Flr., San Francisco, CA  94105-3441 or sierraclub.org in honor of Dr. George A. Randt and his love for the outdoors.

Dr. Randt was very proud of an interview conducted by Scene magazine in 2010.  To read the article, please click on or visit http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/the-doctor-cant-see-you-now/Content?oid=1926826