Terrence Allan Cronin, Sr. MD
Born on June 3, 1940 in Jersey City, New JerseyPassed Away November 8, 2026 in Melbourne Beach, Florida
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Terrence Allan Cronin, Sr. MD at the age of 86 at 12:00 pm on Sunday, November 8, 2026 peacefully at his home in Melbourne Beach, FL. The son of Regina Meehan Cronin and Joseph Michael Cronin, Terry was born on June 3, 1940 in Jersey City, New Jersey. After his family moved “down the shore”, he attended Red Bank Catholic High School and became an Eagle Scout. He graduated from Seton Hall University where he met the love of his life Kathleen, his first and only wife. He graduated from Seton Hall Medical School as the youngest doctor in New Jersey.
He served in the United States Air Force as a physician in Texas, Washington, and New Jersey. He proudly served with the 555 Milphap Unit in Tan An, Vietnam in 1967-1968 and was awarded the Bronze Star medal and the “Y-Tế Bội-Tinh” Public Health medal from the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam).
When he returned home, he completed a three year dermatology residency at Los Angeles County hospital serving as Chief resident.
In 1972, he was recruited to Melbourne, Florida where he has served the community focusing on skin cancer treatment. He co-founded the Florida Society of Dermatologic Surgeons where he taught and mentored many of his member colleagues. He was a longstanding member of the American Academy of Dermatology, The American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, and the Florida Society of Dermatology. He was awarded the “Surgeon of the Year” by the Florida Society of Dermatologic Surgeons in 1992 and the “Practitioner of the Year” award by the Florida Society of Dermatology in 2002 and a lifetime achievement award by the Florida Society of Dermatologic Surgeons in 2012 and a Life membership of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2024. He served as a Voluntary Professor at the University of Miami Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery training countless residents and authoring a bestselling surgical textbook with his son, Terry, and granddaughter Megan.
He was a strong supporter of the CITA Rescue Mission for the homeless and he made a significant donation of archaeological relics to the Dinosaur Museum in Cocoa Beach.
Looking back on the phantasmagoria of his life, he was a committed lover of family, travel, nature, sunsets, and art. He travelled to 77 different countries including a medical mission trip around the world studying leprosy and to Haiti with his daughter. He also took his grandchildren to many places around the world. He was an avid reader and collector. He was a role model for so many physicians. He seemed to know more about esoteric subjects than the supposed experts. He enjoyed unusual cuisine and loved to have fun. He always had a joke at the ready and enjoyed the laughter of his friends and family. He was affectionately known as Papa Doc to his grandchildren.
There was never one so brilliant or so bold or so wonderful!
Terry is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Kathleen; son Terry and daughter-in-law Ava Cronin; daughter Kathleen “Dee Dee” Cronin and son-in-law Charlie Angle, granddaughter Megan Cronin, grandson Christopher Hubbard, grandson Terry Cronin III, grandson Joseph Cronin, granddaughter Victoria Scalise and her husband Connor Scalise, and their daughter and his great granddaughter, Maeve Kathleen Scalise, grandson Daniel Cronin and his wife, Carmen Cronin, and granddaughters Victoria Cronin and Rochelle Cronin; and many nieces and nephews; his many dear friends affectionately known as “Aunt” and “Uncle” to his kids and grandkids; his dedicated office staff; his kind and gentle caregivers. He was predeceased in death by his parents, Regina and Joseph Cronin; his brother Michael Cronin; and sister, Jeannie Gill.
Memorial services for Terrence A. Cronin, Sr. MD will be:
11/19 Thursday
5:00-7:00 pm Calling
at Brownlie-Maxwell, Melbourne
11/20 Friday
5:00-7:00 pm Calling
5:30 pm Vigil ceremony
at Brownlie-Maxwell, Melbourne
11/21 Saturday
Funeral Mass 10:30 am at
Immaculate Conception Church, Melbourne Beach
12:00 pm Internment at
Fountainhead Cemetery,
Palm Bay
Reception afterwards
