James C. Giudice, D.O.

Died peacefully on August 1, 2023 at the age of 81 surrounded by family members who loved him dearly. Born on 1052 Edgemore Road, Philadelphia, PA to Mary and Carlo. Devoted husband for 55 years of Linda (nee Onimus); cherished father of Christian (Tair) Giudice, Amy (Brian) Corbett and Alexandra (Keith) Kamitian; adoring grandfather of Noa, Nathan, Alexandra, Braeden, Reese, Michael and Mia; loving brother of Antoinette (Joe) Rawlings. Jim’s great love was for his wife, adult children and spouses, and for his seven grandchildren, whom he doted on regularly. Jim stressed that there was nothing more important than family, a tenet he lived by every day of his life.

An avid Philadelphia Eagles fan, Jim fondly recalled the 1960 Eagles championship team, led by two-way legend, “Concrete Charlie” Chuck Bednarik. In addition to his reverence for Bednarik, Jim admired Gale Sayers (Chicago Bears), Ray Nitschke (Green Bay Packers), Steve Van Buren (a family friend), and Bob Brown (Eagles). When he was not rooting for his beloved Eagles, Jim loved watching Cheers and memorizing movie lines from his favorite films: A Bronx Tale, Midnight Run, and The Godfather series. He prided himself on possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of female jazz vocalists, Eagles players and the careers of Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin. As much as Jim loved Bobby Darin as a performer, Sinatra was tops for him. When it came to cars, Jim always drove a Cadillac. Academically, Jim attended St. Callistus Parish, and later St. Thomas More (1959 graduate) where he honed his skill as a pulling guard and developed a lifelong friendship with lineman coach Dan Staffieri. In 2001, Jim was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame; a decade later he earned the prestigious St. Thomas More Golden Bear Award. He continued his education at Lafayette College (1963 graduate) in Easton, PA where he studied pre-med, earned first-team All M.A.C. honors as an offensive guard and linebacker on the football team and was voted president of his fraternity, Delta Upsilon (DU). Jim spent his summers working as a cop in Wildwood, NJ, proudly patrolling Schellenger Ave. where he met lifelong friends, created lasting memories, and enjoyed access to the great musical artists and groups from that time period. He married the love of his life, Linda Onimus, from Norwood, PA, in West Philadelphia in 1968. They stayed happily married for 55 years. In the mid-1970s and 1980s, Jim started his family in Haddon Township and, later Haddonfield on Warwick Road, where he spent the rest of his life. A loyal friend and devoted father, Jim became a fixture in the community as a coach for his son and daughters’ sports teams. Running was also a big part of Jim’s identity and he could often be seen sprinting up and down Warwick Road in the early morning hours. His family and home were always central to his life and provided a respite from his professional life where he was known as James C. Giudice, DO, MACOI, FCCP, tenured Professor of Medicine at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (formerly UMDNJ-SOM until 2013), Chief of the Pulmonary Division at Rowan-SOM, Program Director of the Medical Residency Program at UMDNJ-SOM (1979-2008) and Attending Physician/Consultant on Disease of the Chest. Dr. Giudice obtained his DO degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1968 where he was the President of the Internal Medicine Society, followed by a one-year rotating internship at Metropolitan Hospital in Philadelphia (, a two-year medical residency at Kennedy Memorial Hospital – UMC in Stratford, NJ and a two-year pulmonary fellowship at Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital in Philadelphia.

He was instrumental in the founding of the School of Osteopathic Medicine in South Jersey at UMDNJ in the mid-1970s and remained a long-time faculty member since 1977. In addition to becoming a Professor of Medicine, he was also the Assistant Dean of Graduate Medical Education from 1989-1993 and the Program Director of UMDNJ-SOM Medical Residency Program for 29 years. He was committed to education and research and received the “Golden Apple Award” and the UMDNJ “Master Educator Award” during his career where he taught students in every class that graduated from SOM since 1981, as well as over 700 Internal Medicine Residents and numerous Pulmonary/Critical Care fellows over 45 years.

He has published numerous articles and abstracts in peer review journals, as well as written book chapters and editorials and given countless lectures over a period of 50 years. He was affectionately referred to as “Chief”  and “Juice” by the residents and fellows who had the privilege of training under him and who received his unwavering support. In his honor, the Dr. James C. Giudice Endowed Scholarship was established in 2019. Dr. Giudice was an important part of pulmonary medicine in South Jersey and beyond since the mid-1970s. He was beloved by his patients, who often traveled long distances to see him. Dr. Giudice, despite his recent health issues, continued to see his patients several days each week until the end of July. Dr. Giudice also had a national presence through the American College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOI). He joined the college in 1974, and was recognized for his contributions and became a fellow (FACOI) in 1982. He was elected president of the ACOI from 1996-97 and served on the ACOI Board of Directors for 12 years. He received the ACOI Distinguished Service Award in 2000 and became a Master Fellow (MACOI) in 2003. The ACOI will be honoring Dr. Giudice at its Annual ACOI Convention in October this year with a “Presidential Citation” for his many accomplishments. Dr. Giudice was a man of great character and integrity who embodied the essence of osteopathic medicine. He was the patriarch of an enormous family of osteopathic physicians for 50 years. His great love for his family and his concern and caring for his patients and for his students, residents and fellows who followed him in osteopathic medicine will long be remembered and recognized as extraordinary.

The Giudice family will hold a viewing on Friday, August 11 from 6:30-8:30 pm at Christ the King church. A mass will be held on Saturday, August 12 at 10 am preceded by a viewing from 9-9:45 am. Burial immediately following mass at Haddonfield Baptist Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the James C. Giudice Endowed Scholarship Fund.  Choose fund of your choice below, scholarships and then click on Dr. James C. Giudice Endowed Scholarship. Rowan University – Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine – Donor and Gift Info: https://secure.rufoundation.org/s/1653/02alumni/giving/interior.aspx?sid=1653&gid=2&pgid=2157&cid=4047

Or mail all checks to Gail L Foreman Senior Director of Development Rowan-Virtua SOM 42 East Laurel Rd., Suite 3200 Stratford, NJ 08084. Make checks payable to Rowan University Foundation Scholarship Fund.