Dr. Matthew J. Bulfin, devoted to saving babies

By Dwayne Campbell
Staff Writer

July 9, 2001

Fort Lauderdale · In his office, Dr. Matthew J. Bulfin kept dozens of snapshots of some of the nearly 10,000 babies he delivered in a career that began in Chicago in the early 1950s.

But it was a scrapbook with photographs of the "other" babies that Dr. Bulfin, an obstetrician and gynecologist, held most dear. That was the book of babies he had saved after mothers, for various reasons, had considered abortions. Many of those babies, years later, would find him and send him notes of thanks.

Dr. Bulfin, 79, suffered a heart attack last month, on Father's Day, and died Sunday at Holy Cross Hospital.

"He never bragged about his work. He never tried to influence your thinking," said Maria Soldani, a spokeswoman for Holy Cross Hospital, where Dr. Bulfin practiced since 1967. "He was very quiet but very strong. He was one of the pillars [of Holy Cross]."

Dr. Bulfin was a Chicago native. He was a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1943 to 1945. He graduated from Chicago's Loyola University with a bachelor's degree in 1943 and a medical degree in 1947.

He practiced in the Windy City before relocating to South Florida's warmth in 1967. His wife, Jean, friends and family members say, was his biggest supporter. The couple were married 50 years.

"He was a very simple person. He loved Florida and liked being near the water," said his son, Robert, of Fort Lauderdale.

It was his work, however, Robert said, that he most loved, especially helping women through difficult pregnancies.

Family members say Dr. Bulfin's devotion to seeing babies live and helping mothers through difficult pregnancies started with his own birth. His mother was 45 at the time and her doctor warned her that, with hypertension and kidney disease, it wouldn't be wise to have a seventh child. Persistent, she got a second, more favorable opinion.

"He was not an activist but he was very active in a quiet way," said Gail Bulfin, Robert's wife. Gail Bulfin is the Sun-Sentinel's Reader and Training Editor.

"He was often asked to speak and testify about pro-life issues, but he was never intimidated."

"One of his primary commitments was to women and babies. He had tremendous respect for life," said Sister Ann Hostovich of Holy Cross Convent.

Dr. Bulfin's speeches, medical articles, newspaper editorials and his service on many boards showed his commitment both the anti-abortion movement and obstetric medicine. He was president of American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists from 1973 to 1992; former chairman of the physicians committee, Broward County Volunteer Prenatal Clinic, and former co-chair of Holy Cross Hospital's Ethics Committee.

Dr. Bulfin was also a founding committee member and obstetrical consultant for His Caring Place, a Pompano Beach home for unwed mothers. He was named Pro-life Man of the Year by the Illinois Right to Life and Birthright Society in 1981, outstanding Citizen of the Year by the Emerald Society of Fort Lauderdale in 1984, and Holy Cross' first Sister M. Innocent Hughes Award in 1995.

In addition to his wife, son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Bulfin is survived by sons John of West Palm Beach and Thomas of Orlando; daughters Susan Doody of Sea Ranch Lakes and Colleen Maloney of Alpharetta, Ga., and 10 grandchildren.

Visitation is Tuesday, 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Baird-Case Funeral Home, 4343 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale. A Mass is set for Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Assumption Catholic Church, 2001 S. Ocean Blvd., Pompano Beach. Charitable donations may be made to American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians & Gynecologists, P.O. Box 39199, Tacoma, WA 98439.

Dwayne Campbell can be reached at dcampbell@sun-sentinel.com or 954-572-2004.