Photograph of Dr. Giles F. Filley from the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 11, 1955. Historic Saranac Lake Collection, TCR 710.Born: April 30, 1915
Died: January 22, 1986
Married: Mary Brown Filley
Children: Giles F. Filley, Jr., called "Josh", Dwight Filley, Christopher M. Filley, Jonathan Filley
Dr. Giles F. Filley first came to Trudeau Sanatorium as a TB patient in 1943, and stayed for a year to train as a Lawrason Brown Fellow in the Department of Physiology in the Edward L. Trudeau Foundation. He returned to work as an associate physiologist in the Department of Physiology in 1947, and took over as director in 1953. He left in the mid-1950s to teach at the University of Colorado Medical Center and serve as Associate Director of the physiologic investigation at the Colorado Foundation for Research in Tuberculosis, which was then directed by Dr. Roger Mitchell.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 11, 1955
"Filley Accepts Post at Denver"
Announcement was made here today of the appointment of Dr. Giles F. Filley as Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver and Associate Director of physiologic investigation at the Colorado Foundation for Research in Tuberculosis, of which Dr. Roger Mitchell has been director since March 1.
Dr. Filley is director of the Department of Physiology of the Trudeau-Saranac Institute. He will continue his work here until August 1 and expects to assume his new post on September 1.
In a statement this morning, Dr. Filley said, “After eight years of working and living in Saranac Lake, we are very sorrowful at having to leave. My decision to go to Denver is wholly based on the greater opportunities there to work with patients in the clinical study of cardio-pulmonary disability. I only with the University of Colorado could move into Trudeau or the Adirondacks be transplanted to the foothills of the Rockies.”
Dr. Filley first came to Trudeau as a patient in 1943, and then remained a year to serve as a Lawrason Brown Fellow under Dr. George W. Wright, head of the Department of Physiology of the Edward L. Trudeau Foundation.
In July 1947, he returned to Trudeau as an associate physiologist, and succeeded Dr. Wright as director of the department on September 1, 1953, when the latter accepted a new post in Cleveland, Ohio. During the years that they worked together, Drs. Wright and Filley published many medical papers relating to the clinical and research work carried out in the laboratory.
Dr. Filley is a graduate of Kent School and Williams College, and received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1942. It was during his first year of internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital that Dr. Filley came to Trudeau.
From 1944 to 1945 he served at Johns Hopkins University, first as Assistant in Medicine, and later as Instructor in Medicine at John D. Archbold Fellow in Medicine. The following year he spent as Assistant Resident Physician on the Medical Ward Service of Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Mo.
Dr. Filley is a member of the American Federation for Clinical Research, the American College of Physicians, the American Trudeau Society, and the Franklin County and Saranac Lake Medical Societies.
Dr. and Mrs. Filley, whose home is at 166 Park Ave., have three sons, Dwight, Giles Jr., and Christopher. During their residence in Saranac Lake, they have been active in community affairs and both are members of the Saranac Lake Oratorio Society.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, February 14, 1989
Giles Franklin Filley
DENVER, Colo. Word has been received of the death of Dr. Giles Franklin Filley, 73, formerly of Saranac Lake and recently of Denver, who died Sunday, Jan. 22, at his home here.
A memorial service took place at St. John's Episcopal Cathedral Jan. 28, and a private burial was scheduled for All Souls Walk. Dr. Filley was a native of New York City. He graduated from Williams College and received his medical training from Johns Hopkins Hospital, Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, and the Edward L. Trudeau Foundation in Saranac Lake.
He became director of the department of physiology at Trudeau in 1953 and went to the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1955 as an assistant professor. He became a full professor in 1969.
He was an honorary member of AOA medical fraternity and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, American Clinical and Climatological Association, American Physiological Society, American Thoracic Society, American College of Physicians and was a board member of the Music Associates of Aspen.
He authored two books and 120 scientific papers.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Brown Filley of Denver; four sons, Dwight Filley of Evergreen, Giles F. Filley Jr. and Christopher M. Filley of Denver, and Jonathan Filley of Boulder; a sister, Joan D. Cox of Greenwich, Conn.; and one grandson.
