Carmen A. Troisi Jr., retired oral surgeon

Carmen A. Troisi Jr., 81, of Glenside, a retired oral and maxillofacial surgeon, died of cancer Thursday, Dec. 15, at his home.

For more than 40 years, Dr. Troisi extracted teeth and performed surgery from offices in Chestnut Hill and on South Broad Street. His patients came from across Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

Dr. Troisi was frequently called upon by the Phillies, Flyers, and Eagles to perform surgery on players, fixing broken jaws and extracting teeth.

Born into the Great Depression in 1930, he was the last of five children. His father, Carmen Sr., died when he was 4.

His mother, Rose, encouraged him to play baseball. A standout on teams in West Oak Lane and Glenside, he played baseball at Northeast High School, graduating in 1948.

He went on to study agronomy at Pennsylvania State University, where he played football and baseball. Encouraged by coach Joe Paterno to focus on baseball, Dr. Troisi played shortstop for the Penn State team that went to the College World Series in 1952.

Dr. Troisi played professional baseball in the Chicago White Sox organization, moving up the minor-league ranks until he was drafted into the Army during the final years of the Korean War.

He served stateside at Camp Ritchie, Md., as a military policeman for two years, then returned to baseball, working his way back up to the AAA level before deciding to become a surgeon.

Dr. Troisi was a 1959 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Dental School, and did graduate work at Penn's School of Medicine. He performed his internship and residency at the former Philadelphia General Hospital. He was chief of oral surgery at Methodist, Rolling Hill, and Chestnut Hill Hospitals.

An avid golfer and sports enthusiast, Dr. Troisi played at North Hills Country Club. He traveled often, testing his skills on courses nationwide.

He was a Phillies season-ticket holder and a voracious reader who enjoyed the challenge of a difficult crossword puzzle. After retiring, he turned to the Glenside Free Library for books and research material.

Surviving are his wife, Mary; a son, Robert; two daughters, Laura T. Eck and Kathryn T. Charlton; and five grandchildren.

A 9:30 a.m. visitation will be followed by a funeral at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, at Seven Dolors Catholic Church, 1200 E. Willow Grove Ave., Wyndmoor. Interment will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham.

Memorial donations may be made to the Glenside Free Library, 215 S. Keswick Ave., Glenside, Pa. 19038.