Edward John Immelman was a consultant vascular surgeon at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. He was educated at Rondebosch Boys' High School and went on to study medicine at the University of Cape Town, where his academic ability was recognised with the award of the McCullogh and Aaron Behrman scholarships, and the Dowie Dunn memorial prize for the best student in paediatrics. He gained his MB ChB with honours. After an internship with Jannie Louw and Frank Foreman, he spent a year at the J S Marais Surgical Laboratory, where his supervisors were Christiaan Barnard and Bob Frater. His surgical training culminated in his passing the fellowship of the College of Surgeons of South Africa in 1966. In 1967, he went to the UK, as a lecturer and an honorary senior registrar at the University of Bristol. He gained his FRCS in 1969. On his return to Groote Schuur in 1970, he was appointed as a senior surgeon and senior lecturer, working for Jack Hesselson and then Helme Madden. When Madden retired in 1980, Immelman became the head of his firm. He was appointed as an associate professor in 1976 and in 1981 was made the second full chair of surgery. He retired from surgical practice in 2000, but continued to teach at Groote Schuur Hospital until 2005. At Groote Schuur, he was also responsible for re-establishing the non-invasive vascular laboratory, in 1975. He was a founding member of the Vascular Society of Southern Africa and was president from 1993 to 1995. In 2011, he was given the Society's distinguished service award. He published nearly 200 articles and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals and wrote many chapters in books. His research included an important trial of thrombolysis for deep vein thrombosis. He is particularly remembered for his teaching of students: he was voted 'teacher of the year' by the final year classes in 1997, 1998 and 1999. In 1989, he received the prestigious distinguished teacher award from the University of Cape Town. Edward John Immelman died on 10 January 2013. He was survived by his widow Trish and sons Robert and Grant.