[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 92 (Tuesday, June 5, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E772-E773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF DR. HUMPHREY DON GERMANIUK, MD, AP FP

                                  _____
                                 

                             HON. TIM RYAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 5, 2018

  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember the life of 
Dr. Humphrey Don Germaniuk, 64, who passed away on Friday, April 20, 
2018.
  Humphrey was born on February 4, 1954 on Staten Island, New York City 
to Ukrainian immigrants Onufriji and Neonila Germaniuk. Growing up, 
Humphrey played in a rock and roll band that performed all throughout 
New York City. His band, Timeless, had gained such a large, dedicated 
following that they captured the attention of Capitol Records, and 
began recording with the label. At the age of 19, Humphrey took his 
first steps toward what would become a distinguished career in forensic 
medicine by volunteering with the Manhattan Medical Examiner's Office 
under the guidance of renowned physician Dr. Milton Helpern.
  Humphrey studied Biology at Wagner College on Staten Island, and 
graduated in 1975. After graduation, he had the amazing opportunity to 
travel to Italy and obtain a dual Ph.D. and M.D. from the University of 
Rome. In 1984, he returned to the United States with a deep affection 
and appreciation for his Italian hosts and their Italian culture. Upon 
his return; Humphrey began his professional medical career at The Ohio 
State University, where he completed a residency in pathology in 1988. 
Following his residency, he held a Fellowship in Forensic Medicine at 
the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner's Office in Florida and became 
certified as a Forensic Pathologist. After his certification, he served 
as an associate Medical Examiner for Onondaga County, New York for five 
years. Then in 1994, Humphrey was selected to serve as Deputy Chief

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of the Washington, D.C. Medical Examiner's Office.
  While in Washington, Humphrey built a national reputation as an 
authority in forensic medicine; honing his craft by performing 
thousands of autopsies and testifying in hundreds of capital trials, 
both in District and Federal Court. At the same time, Humphrey was able 
to keep his academic career alive by writing numerous articles on 
forensics, and also lecturing on various medical and legal aspects of 
death investigations as an adjunct professor at Georgetown and George 
Washington Schools of Law. By 1998, Humphrey was serving as Chief 
Medical Examiner of the Nation's Capital.
  Despite receiving many accolades for his management of the 
Washington, D.C. Medical Examiner's Office, the professional demands of 
his position took a toll on him. Humphrey chose to return to Ohio after 
his time in Washington, and accepted a position as Assistant Coroner to 
Trumbull County. Humphrey described the change of scenery as a 
``priceless opportunity'' to reconnect with what mattered most in his 
life, and he became the first certified Forensic Pathologist to serve 
the county.
  In 2008, Humphrey found himself in politics for the first time as he 
successfully ran for his first term as Trumbull County Coroner. Over 
the next 10 years, until his death, Humphrey helped build the office 
into an extremely well respected one. As Trumbull County Coroner he 
fought to recoup taxpayer money lost in professional time spent 
testifying in private civil litigation. He also regularly advocated for 
legislation addressing reimbursement to counties, and conducted 
training seminars for police departments regarding death investigation.
  During his long career, Humphrey had a distinguished record of 
national, state, and local community service. He was a delegate to the 
National Association of Medical Examiners and College of American 
Pathologists, governor of the Ohio Society of Pathology, and member of 
the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. He was also a member of 
the Ohio State Medical Association; the Ohio State Coroner's 
Association, and, perhaps most fondly for his colleagues and peers from 
Trumbull Memorial Hospital, as past president of the Trumbull County 
Medical Society.
  In 2010, Humphrey was invited by Pakistan to participate in a series 
of lectures on the best practices for competent death investigation 
alongside representatives from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency, the 
Pakistani Supreme Court, and the Punjab Institute of Language, Art and 
Culture. The trip was conducted under the sponsorship of the U.S. State 
Department and hosted in the ancient city of Lahore as part of an 
ongoing diplomatic effort to strengthen ties between the two countries 
as part of the Global War on Terrorism. Humphrey considered the trip a 
great opportunity, and a defining moment in his career.
  Alongside his impressive professional career, Humphrey was also an 
avid outdoorsman. He and his family enjoyed sailing on Lake Erie and 
Mosquito Lake, and hiking and hunting on the family's property in 
Western Pennsylvania. Humphrey was a member of the Vienna Fish and Game 
Club where he taught hunter safety education. He also belonged to the 
Trumbull County Antique Tractor Club, and actively participated in the 
County's Democratic Party.
  He loved his family so much, and will be deeply missed by his wife of 
36 years, Genevieve Marie Germaniuk; son and daughter-in-law Zachariah 
Shevchenko and Suzanne Elizabeth (nee Schoen) Germaniuk; sister and 
niece Nina Irene (nee Germaniuk) and Nila Skye Cooper of Stillwater, 
Minnesota; step-niece Oksana (Sergie) Popova and grandnieces Ulyana 
Popova of New York, N.Y., and Drs. Vera (Richard) Salvatore, DDS (nee 
Popova) of Schenectady, New York.
  I extend my sincerest condolences to his family and friends.

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