The Life of Charles W. Denko, Ph.d, M.d.

Charles W. Denko was born to immigrant parents. He entered first grade speaking only Russian. A teacher devised assignments that brought him to a level of excellent English in a single year. Polio at age one had left Charles with a severely crippled leg. A passing stranger noticed him struggling while at play. The man, a member of the Shriners Society, arranged for Charles to be sent to the group's hospital for a surgical procedure that enabled him to walk.

JOANNE D. DENKO was the wife—now the widow—of Dr. Charles W. Denko. She is also the mother of three sons, grandmother of six, and a physician by profession (psychiatrist by specialty). In each of these roles and relationships, she has been alert to experiences appropriate to write about in psychiatric journal articles, nonfiction books, and poems. Joanne's late husband taught her the rudiments of scientific writing, and she found his comments and suggestions invaluable in all of her work. This book, which consists of vignettes about the life of their grandfather, was created primarily for Charles and Joanne's grandchildren.A prizewinning poet, journalist, and public speaker, Joanne graduated with highest honors from Michigan's Hope College. She received her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University and her master's degree in psychiatry from the University of Michigan. A member of the Cleveland Psychiatric Society, Dr. Denko treated psychiatric patients for decades. Committed to the literary and cultural life of her community, she leads a local “Great Books” discussion group. Joanne Denko lives in Ohio.