By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Dr. Cormier

GREEN TWP. - Dr. William Joseph "Joe" Cormier, one of Greater Cincinnati's top oncologists, died Monday of cancer at his Covedale home. He was 53.

Dr. Cormier practiced from three Greater Cincinnati offices and served as president of the medical staff at Mercy Franciscan Hospital in Mount Airy in 1998 and 1999.

"He was a hero," said his daughter, Anne Cormier of Green Township. "He was a wonderful doctor, and he touched the lives of everyone that he met."

Dr. Cormier traveled with other doctors to Croatia, where he helped set up postwar medical services. He also gave volunteer medical assistance to Croatian refugees in the United States.

Born in Chicago in 1949, Dr. Cormier received a bachelor's degree from Xavier University in 1971. He received his medical degree from Northwestern University in 1975 and returned to Cincinnati to serve a three-year residency at Good Samaritan Hospital.

After that he served a two-year oncology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Dr. Cormier loved history and the classics. He spoke fluent German, classical Latin and Greek.

On May 29, a St. Joseph fountain was dedicated to Dr. Cormier at Mercy Franciscan. Mayor Charlie Luken presented him with a key to the city of Cincinnati on that day.

In addition to his daughter, survivors include: his wife of 28 years, Mary Vanden-Eynden Cormier; a son, Jay of Philadelphia; his mother, Olivia Cormier of Chicago; a sister, Barbara Smyth of Glencoe, Minn.; and a brother, Jim Cormier of Chicago.

Visitation is 4 to 8 p.m. today at B.J. Meyer Sons Funeral Home, 5864 Bridgetown Road, Bridgetown. Mass of Christian burial is at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Antoninus Church, 1500 Linneman Road. Burial is at St. Mary's Cemetery.

Memorials: InterCommunity Cancer Patient Service Fund, 2452 Kipling Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45239.

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com