University of Colorado Department of Pediatrics

The Section of Endocrinology is saddened to report the passing of Dr. Michael S. Kappy MD, PhD after a brief illness. Dr. Kappy was a committed teacher of generations of students, residents, and endocrinology fellows, as well as a passionate advocate for children and their families. His loss is acutely felt by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife Peggy (nee Markson), two sons, and his adored grandchildren. 

Dr. Kappy received his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and completed his residency in Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. After completion of residency, Dr. Kappy served as an instructor in pediatrics and associate director of the residency program, before starting a primary care pediatric practice for low-income families in Commerce City. Eventually, seeking deeper involvement in endocrinology, he undertook fellowship in endocrinology at Johns Hopkins University, where he trained with the first generation of trainees/apostles of the founder of pediatric endocrinology, Dr. Lawson Wilkins. After fellowship, Dr. Kappy took a position at the University of Florida, continuing his association with the founding generation of pediatric endocrinologists, working with Dr. Arlan Rosenbloom and others. Subsequently, Dr. Kappy moved to Phoenix, where he became Director of the Pediatrics Residency Program at St. Joseph’s Hospital. In 1991, he was recruited back to Colorado to become Section Head of Pediatric Endocrinology and Director of the Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program. He remained Section Head for 20 years, during which time he expanded the faculty, developed an extensive network of outreach clinics, and strengthened the research program of the Section before stepping down in 2011. 

Dr. Kappy was deeply involved in academic aspects of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, serving as Editor-in-Chief of Advances in Pediatrics and Co-Editor of Pediatric Decision Making. With his remarkable facility in biochemistry, Dr. Kappy was a founding Co-Director of the Metabolism Block of the University of Colorado School of Medicine Essentials Curriculum. In 2005, Dr. Kappy and colleagues updated and published the original Lawson Wilkins Textbook as the first edition of Principles and Practice of Pediatric Endocrinology, which quickly became a standard textbook in the field. The Third Edition was published in 2022. Dr. Kappy was the recipient of many honors, including the distinguished alumni award from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and was named a Career Teaching Scholar by the Department of Pediatrics in 2007.