Dr. Robert P. Fornshell, an orthopedist physician who took a leadership role in the development and growth of Danbury Hospital, passed away on Feb. 10 at the age of 96.
Born in Cleveland on July 3, 1925, Fornshnell served as a medic with the 94th Infantry Division during World War II, winning a Bronze Star for heroism in 1945. After the war, he graduated from Western Reserve Academy, Harvard College in 1947 and Harvard University’s School of Medicine in 1952. He interned at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and later served a residency in orthopedics at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Fornshell established a private practice in Danbury in 1958 and became involved with Danbury Hospital, serving on its board of directors and chairing its orthopedic staff.
Fornshnell retired from surgery in the late 1980s and continued to be involved in medicine and with Danbury Hospital for many years. In 2017, he published his autobiography “Luck and Serendipity: A Personal History for My Family.”
Photo courtesy Kane Funeral Home.
