Former TIRR Director of Orthotics Thorkild J Engen Remembered (1924-2005) Thorkild J. Engen changed the lives of thousands of people, many of whom he would never meet. As a certified orthotist, Mr. Engen designed and built orthotic devices that enable people with limb weakness to recover function and independence. For nearly 50 years, Mr. Engen was an international researcher and inventor of orthotic devices. After a lengthy illness, Mr. Engen died September 12, 2005 at the age of 81 in Dallas, Texas. A native of Denmark, Mr. Engen was born in July 6, 1924. After completing his education in orthotics and prosthetics in Denmark, he began his career as an orthotist in 1952 at Warm Springs Foundation in Georgia. In 1954, Mr. Engen joined the staff of The Southwest Poliomyelitis Respiratory Center under the direction of William Spencer, M.D. in Houston, Texas. In 1959, the polio treatment facility relocated to a tract land in the Texas Medical Center and was renamed TIRR, The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research. Mr. Engen was the director of orthotics at TIRR from 1959 until his retirement in 1993. Under Mr. Engen’s leadership, the department of orthotics at TIRR was recognized internationally for its groundbreaking inventions assisting people with upper and lower-extremity amputations as well as those with limb weakness resulting from injuries or illnesses. In his laboratories, he pioneered the use of advanced plastic techniques in the design and manufacture of prostheses and orthoses. In order to assure that his patients received the highest quality products, Engen designed and built his own manufacturing systems so that the devices which he designed could be fabricated on site at TIRR. He was also assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine. Among Mr. Engen’s greatest achievements is his collaboration with orthopaedic surgeon Paul Harrington, M.D., in the development of surgical instruments in the form of stainless steel rods and hooks, which were used in the surgical correction of curvature of the spine. In the early 1960’s, Mr. Engen developed the Engen Modular Upper Extremity Orthotic System,,. This system enables people with upper extremity disabilities to regain the ability to grasp. Mr. Engen’s system has been in almost continuous use since being developed and in the last few years has been updated. The Engen Modular Upper Extremity Orthotic System,, is the only upper extremity orthotic systems that has been evaluated by and independent multi-center study, which demonstrated its efficacy and functionality. Working with steel, plastic, wire, nuts, bolts, screws and plaster, Mr. Engen made countless numbers of devices that enriched the lives of thousands of people. A very caring and sensitive man who was part scientist, part engineer and part artist, Engen set the stage for the modern practice of orthotics and the development of today’s advanced orthotic devices. Mr. Engen will be missed by his daughters, Linda Correll and Susanna Finch, son-in-laws, Mike and Glenn, ex-wife, Ragna, four grandchildren, Stephanie, Kimberly, Kristy, and Charles, and two great grandchildren, Colin and Ethan Shoemaker. He will be remembered fondly by his patients, associates and friends. 10-1-2005