Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics Larry Fleischmann, M.D., a longtime faculty member of the Wayne State University School of Medicine, died Dec. 23. He was 79.

A world-renowned pediatric nephrologist, Dr. Fleischmann, was a past president of Children's Hospital of Michigan. He founded Children's Hospital's Renal Dialysis and Transplant Program, and was director of the Nephrology Service.

He received the March of Dimes Humanitarian of the Year Award and the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan Champion of Hope Award. In 2007, he was selected to receive the School of Medicine's Pathfinder in Medicine Award, which honors outstanding vision and leadership in medicine and progressive scientific research.

As president of Children's Hospital of Michigan, Dr. Fleischmann oversaw significant improvements in the hospital, including a new heart catheterization lab, a new MRI center and a remodeled emergency room. After retiring, he turned his focus to philanthropy by becoming a longtime member of the Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation. Earlier this year, the hospital's dialysis center was named for him.

Dr. Fleishmann is survived by his wife, Pat; sons, Arthur, William (Kathleen) and Michael; sisters, Katherine (Ted) and Ruth (Charlie); brother, Tom (Mary); and grandsons, John and Adam.
Services were conducted in late December.

The family suggests memorial donations to the Larry E. Fleischmann Nephrology Education Endowment Fund at the Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation.