Obituary of Michael Andrew Modelski

Michael Andrew Modelski, M.D., (1935-2021), physician, of Houston, Texas passed away peacefully on Saturday morning, July 3, 2021 in Houston, Texas. Michael, Mike, Michael Andrew, Dr. Mike, and MAM was a scientist, an artist, and a friend and mentor to many.

Michael was born on July 23, 1935 in Warsaw, Poland, the son of the late Tadeusz and Janina (Wolmer) Modelski. He remained in Poland through the Warsaw Uprising and escaped with his mother and sister after World War II to a resettlement camp in liberated Germany. His family immigrated to England and he attended Salesian College (1954) and the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine | University College London  (1960).  It was there he met and married Dr. Marion Worthington. Together they sailed on the Queen Mary to New York in 1962 where they both had residencies at Bellevue Hospital. Michael was recruited for a cardiology fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine by Drs. Sam Henly and Jim Alexander and joined the Diagnostic Clinic of Houston where he practiced from 1966 and built a home and a life with Marion and their three daughters. He first attempted retirement in 2000. He spent the next two years painting large abstract and colorful canvases and finally admitted, “I tried retirement and could not hack it.” He returned to medical practice with Dr. Vasudev Shenoy at Doctors Hospital Tidwell, and later worked with the Houston Medical Imaging team on Richmond Avenue. He finally retired in 2016.

Michael (Michał Andrzej) was Polish by birth, a British subject, an American citizen, and a proud Texan. He was intellectually curious, had an exceptional command of the English language, an encyclopedic mind, and was as kind and playful as he was serious. Michael was a lifelong swimmer, beach walker, lover of music, sports cars and fast driving, poetry, birdwatching, art, religious philosophy, cooking, and good food. He regularly combined all his passions on driving tours of small Texas towns in search of BBQ. He was an avid mountain climber and had reached the top of the majority of Colorado’s “14-ers.” He never encountered a topic he did not enjoy discussing. Although Parkinson’s disease sadly took away his ability to speak towards the end of his life, he maintained a positive outlook. His paintings are in several area hospitals, and in the offices and homes of his friends and family.

Michael is survived by his childrens’ mother, his three daughters, Anna Mod (Jim) of Houston and Arlington, VA; Maria (Steve) and Monica (Esquinkle) Modelska of Houston; his sister Elizabeth Nova, niece Marta Nowicka, and grandnephew Lucas Kimber; all of London, England. He will be greatly missed by his former wife, and longtime friend, Irina Langhans of Houston.

His daughters would like to thank Theresa Olugboyega, the staff of Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor including Rebecca, Alam, Skye, Weiny, Grace, Faustina, Ram, Martin, Florence, Prince and Benjamin and Compassus Houston Hospice,  Karen, Jamie, Carla, Teresa and Dimitri, for their excellent and compassionate care the past several years.

Friends, family, and colleagues are invited to attend a funeral service to be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at Joseph J. Earthman Generations, 234 Westcott Street in Houston, Texas. Those not yet fully vaccinated are respectfully asked to attend via livestream (please see instructions at josephjearthman.com).

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to Round Top Festival Institute, Chamber Music Houston, or the charity of your choice.