Dr. Stanley Gramch Crossland M.D.'s Obituary
Dr. Stanley Gramch Crossland, M.D., 74, died peacefully on September 3, 2020 surrounded by his children, after a 14-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born on October 3, 1945 in Washington, DC to Mary and Clem Crossland, while his father was in medical school. He grew up in Carrsville, VA where his father was a General Practitioner of Medicine for more than 50 years.
As a child, he excelled in building model airplanes, collecting baseball cards, comic books, and coins, and became an avid reader. Hobbies he would carry into adulthood, along with a love of gun collecting and trophy game hunting. Stanley graduated from Windsor High School in 1963, where he was the Class Valedictorian. While in high school, he was an active member of the 4H Club, raising and showing beef cattle; he was a member of the Debate Team, the Boys Basketball Team; was class president; and was selected as a representative to Boys State. His childhood instilled in him a life-long love of animals, particularly dogs, which he had as companions throughout his life.
He graduated from the University of Richmond in 1967 and from George Washington University School of Medicine (his father’s alma mater) in 1971, where he also completed his Residency in General Surgery (serving as Chief Resident). He was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War; he began his service after his residency. He served as a general surgeon while being stationed at Walter Reed Medical Center and The Pentagon.
During the early years of his career, Dr. Crossland worked in the Emergency Room of the former D.C. General Hospital, operating on patients who were suffering from severe physical trauma. His experiences there helped him hone his skills at performing complicated, lifesaving surgical procedures that many other surgeons at the time were reluctant to perform.
In 1978, Dr. Crossland became one of the leading vascular physicians at the former Northern Virginia Doctors Hospital in Arlington, VA. That same year he also opened his private practice. Initially he saw patients in a parking lot with his car serving as a mobile office, before moving into a formal office space in Arlington a few months later. Dr. Crossland practiced in Arlington for over 30 years and in Calvert County in the early 2000’s. He relocated to Sterling, VA in 2010. His love of medicine and caring for patients motivated him to continue practicing until his health no longer allowed it.
As a surgeon, Dr. Crossland was exceptionally gifted and helped to pioneer and advance many progressive surgical techniques in vascular medicine. He was also one of the few medical practitioners and surgeons in the Northern Virginia area who openly provided equal and safe medical care to the LGBTQ+ community during the AIDS epidemic in the early and mid-1980’s. He was also an early advocate in the DC Metro Area for research into the unique medical needs of the LGBTQ+ community at a time when doing so came with a stigma that could jeopardize a doctor’s career advancement.
Besides his parents he is preceded in death by his son Stan G. Crossland Jr. He is survived by his sons and daughters; Bryan Crossland (Erin), Patrick Crossland, Mike Carson, Jessica and Laura Deaton; 4 grandchildren; Amber, Kyle, Oliver, and Elliot Crossland; 4 siblings; Dr. Cathy Crossland, Dr. Stephen Crossland (Sue), Sharon, and Mary Crossland; His nephew, Stephen Jr. (Amanda); and his beloved partner of 11 years, Roxanna Jett.
Visitation will be held Saturday, September 12, 2020 at 11 am, followed by a service at 11:45 at Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catocin Circle S.E., Leesburg, Va.
If you would like to make a donation in lieu of flowers, please donate to either the George Washington School of Medicine, tuition fund in memory of Stanley G. Crossland HERE , or to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation in memory of Stanley G. Crossland HERE .
If you would like to Make donation by check, the funeral home will be able to assist you. Please make the donations Payable to one of the following:
GW tuition fund in memory of Stanley G. Crossland
NPCF in memory of Stanley G. Crossland
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