Alumni

1943
Quentin “Chip” Deming, a researcher and longtime faculty member at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, died Jan. 21, 2019, at his home in New Hampshire. He was 99. After graduating from VP&S, he was a doctor in the Navy during World War II and won a three-year medical fellowship at Stanford University. He is survived by two children, three grandchildren, a great-grandchild, and a brother.

1946
Russell S. Boles Jr., a gastroenterologist with a private practice on Cape Cod from 1981 until his retirement in 2008, died at his home in Massachusetts on Feb. 4, 2019, at age 96. His wife of 67 years, Elizabeth, and their three children, nine grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren survive him. Dr. Boles served in the U.S. Navy for two years as a medical officer on the USS Fargo in the Mediterranean, then continued training at Philadelphia General Hospital and UPenn Medical Hospital. He was affiliated for 40 years with New England Baptist Hospital. He was active in Christian fellowship. A building at the Latham Centers in Cape Cod is named after him. 

Barbara Penn Wright (also known as Barbara Wright Pierce), a retired internist, died Nov. 24, 2018, at her Manhattan home of more than 56 years. She was 98. She practiced in a few institutional settings before working for many years at Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. at its former headquarters in southern Manhattan. She retired in 1984. She and her husband, Sam, maintained a second home in Washington, D.C., for nearly 20 years until his death in 2000. She is survived by a daughter. 

1947
Alexander Caemmerer Jr., who practiced psychiatry at St. Luke’s and VP&S for more than 60 years, died July 10, 2018, at age 94. He is survived by three sons and their families.

Gloria Clare Elias died Jan. 23, 2019, following a long illness. She was 95. Dr. Clare, as she was known professionally, practiced psychiatry for more than 50 years in New York City. She is survived by two children, a grandson, and a great-granddaughter.

Edward F. Vastola, professor emeritus of neurology at Washington University, died July 22, 2018, at age 94. He served in the Navy Reserves on active duty from 1943 to 1945 and as first lieutenant from 1951 to 1953 as chief of neurology at the Neuropsychiatric Specialized Treatment Center of the Army Hospital at Camp Pickett, Virginia. He was a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Neurological Association. Aside from medicine, he researched Greek linguistics through the texts of Homer. 

1950
Henry Post Ward, a psychiatrist, died Sept. 17, 2018. He was 92. He worked for many years in the Washington, D.C., area. Upon his retirement, he lived in Maryland, Maine, and later in Atlanta, Georgia. He is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters, and six grandchildren.

1951
Donald T. Kasprzak, a surgeon,diedOct. 16, 2018, from complications of a fall. He practiced in Plattsburgh, New York. He is survived by his wife, Kathy, and six children. 

1952
Leslie J. DeGroot, known for his contributions to the field of endocrinology, died Oct. 23, 2018. He enrolled in VP&S at the age of 20 and was elected to AOA as a junior. His professional career took him to the NIH, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, and MIT.

1954
Rodman D. Carter, who was board-certified in general sur­gery and urology, died Dec. 28, 2018, at the age of 90. He was born in Ohio, the son of a Congregational Church minister, and served in the U.S. Navy after graduating high school. At VP&S he worked with Virginia Apgar’33, the creator of the Apgar Scale for grading babies’ health at birth. In 1953, he started a long career at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, New York. He became a member of the senior staff in 1962 and continued to teach surgery there until 1993. Dr. Carter is survived by his wife, Mary, one daughter, two granddaughters, four great-grandchildren, and a sister. 

Edward F. Conklin, a cardiovascular-thoracic surgeon, died Dec. 4, 2018, at the age of 90. Born in New York City, he grew up in New Jersey. He served in Frankfurt, Germany, in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1955 to 1957. He completed his residencies at Columbia and was in private practice at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City. He also practiced at medical centers in Hackensack, Harlem, and Pascack Valley. He was an avid outdoorsman and huntsman and an active member of the Campfire Club of America. Dr. Conklin is survived by his wife, Carol, three children, and four grandchildren.

1955
Donald Brown, who practiced psychiatry in Hartford, Connecticut, and held various administrative positions in medical education, died June 28, 2018, at the age of 91. Following service in the U.S. Navy, he trained in psychiatry at the University of Rochester. He is survived by his wife, Lea, and his sons and their families.

Richard A. Rifkind, an esteemed cancer researcher, died Jan. 1, 2019, at the age of 88. As chair and chief scientific officer from 1983 to 2000 of the Sloan Kettering Institute, the experimental research arm of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he led a restructuring of the institute to focus on major areas of scientific inquiry and recruited an outstanding faculty of scientists. He personally directed laboratory studies that have helped shape contemporary developmental biology, investigating the differentiation of blood cells and identifying chemical agents that could steer cancer cells back to normal. This led to the development of the first HDAC inhibitor, vorinostat (Zolinza). He also supported a vibrant graduate program within the institute and established the Simon H. Rifkind Chair in Molecular Biology in honor of his father. Dr. Rifkind was a founder of the New York Structural Biology Center, which opened in 2002 to increase the understanding of proteins that play a role in diseases such as cancer. 

Arthur S. Verdesca, an internist, died Aug. 11, 2018. He graduated from VP&S as a member of AOA. Even though he received a prize in pediatrics, he chose internal medicine and trained at St. Luke’s before serving in the U.S. Air Force. Upon discharge, he published his research findings on adrenal physiology. An elected member of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Verdesca was medical director for American International Group and for General Electric. He served as president of the New York chapter of the American Occupational Medical Association. He was an associate clinical professor of medicine at Cornell from 1986 to 2005. A crossword puzzle enthusiast, he constructed them (including puzzles for several issues of this magazine) and also judged crossword puzzle competitions. He translated Dante’s “Divine Comedy” from the Italian. He is survived by his wife, Ann, his children, and his grandchildren.

1956
J. Putnam “Put” Brodsky, an internist specializing in pulmonary medicine, died Nov. 20, 2018, of lung cancer. He was 88. Born in Brooklyn, he was raised in New Jersey and attended the New York Military Academy. He trained at Bellevue Hospital and Yale-New Haven Hospital. Following two years as an Army captain in Puerto Rico, Dr. Brodsky started a 40-year medical practice in Rumson, New Jersey. Despite his pulmonary specialty, most patients considered him their family doctor. He enjoyed making rounds at Riverview Hospital, where he served as chief of medicine, co-director of the respiratory ICU, and the first director of the drug rehab center. He served as the Rumson police and fire surgeon from 1964 to 2000. Dr. Brodsky is survived by three children, seven grandchildren, and a brother. 

Donald M. Gleason, who practiced urology for more than 30 years in Tucson, Arizona, died March 22, 2018. He servedin the Air Force and later completed his residency in New York City. His wife, four children, and nine grandchildren survive him.

1957
Henry Metzger, who spent nearly his entire career at the NIH pursuing basic research in molecular aspects of the immune system and in administration, died Nov. 20, 2018, at age 86. He was born in Mainz, Germany, and immigrated to New York City as a child. After two years of internal medicine residency at NewYork-Presbyterian, he entered public health service at the NIH in 1959. For 10 years, he was the first director of intramural research with the newly formed National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and served in professional organizations including the American Association of Immunologists (21 years) and the NIH’s Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (40 years). He also served as president and councilor of the International Union of Immunological Societies and was an active member of the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Medical Committee for Human Rights that provided medical support during demonstrations related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Vietnam War. Dr. Metzger is survived by his wife, Deborah, three children, six grandchildren, and a brother. 

Robert John Reilly died Aug. 14, 2018, at age 87.

1958
Daniel J. Collins, who spent nearly his entire career at Hale Hospital in Haverhill, Massachusetts, died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease on Aug. 8, 2018. He was 84. He served in the U.S. Army as a surgeon during the Vietnam War. Survivors include his children, grandchildren, and various animals, including cats, dogs, horses, and a donkey.

1959
Kenneth Faust, who made several important contributions to the field of ophthalmology, died Oct. 31, 2018, in Tavares, Florida. He was 85. He completed his internship in Los Angeles, then served in the U.S. Navy, where he completed submarine medical officers and diving medical officers courses and served in Vietnam. He retired from the Navy at the rank of commander. A wrestling champion in high school and captain of his college wrestling and football teams, he was inducted into the PA Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He is survived by a daughter, a son, and four grandchildren.

Thomas F. Plaut, a refugee from Nazi Germany who went on to become a beloved community pediatrician, died Jan. 30, 2019. He was 85. Dr. Plaut was born in Leipzig, Germany. His family escaped in 1935 and settled in Ohio. While at VP&S, he studied tropical medicine for several months in Surinam and helped underpaid laborers there organize a union. He married Johanna Mautner in 1962. Because he wanted to practice medicine where he could make a real difference, they settled in the tiny coal-mining town of Whitesburg, Kentucky. After several years they moved to the South Bronx. At the MLK Jr. Community Health Center, one of the first community health centers in the country, Dr. Plaut initiated a new model for health care delivery that trained community members to become health care workers. Their next home was Amherst, Massachusetts. Dr. Plaut specialized in treating asthma. He published several books, including “One Minute Asthma,” which sold more than 2 million copies. He was active in the men’s group of the Jewish Community of Amherst and sang with the social justice chorus Amandla for 17 years. His two children, three grandchildren, and two siblings survive him.

William V. Shaw, who spent most of his career conducting research at the NIH and at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, died July 30, 2018. He was 85. He helped found a biomedical center and medical school in Leicester, United Kingdom. He is survived by his children, grandchildren, and siblings.

Martin J. Smith, former chair of internal medicine and director of clinical laboratories at Gunderson Clinic and Lutheran Hospital in Wisconsin, died July 29, 2018. His training included specialty training in hematology at Massachusetts General Hospital. He served as a U.S. Naval medical officer and continued in the Reserves for another 18 years. He was the first hematologist in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and director of research at the Gunderson Medical Foundation. He was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and of the American College of Pathologists. He is listed in “Who’s Who in Science and Engineering,” “Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care,” and “Who’s Who in the World.” He is survived by his wife, daughter, and two sons.

1960
Barry M. Beller, co-founder of the University of Texas San Antonio School of Medicine and head of cardiology there, died Oct. 2, 2018, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He trained in cardiology at the University of Chicago, then served in the U.S. Air Force as head of its cardiac catheterization lab. Outside of medicine,he supported the arts and music and was a co-founder of San Antonio’s classical music station. He also enjoyed restoring antique autos and was an enthusiastic photographer.

Julian J. Clark, a psychiatrist in private practice who specialized in psychosomatic medicine, died Sept. 21, 2017. He was a clinical associate professor at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and also worked as an independent medical examiner.His wife, Rita,also a 1960 VP&S graduate, and two daughters survive him. 

Donald L. King, a pioneer in the field of diagnostic ultrasound imaging and professor emeritus at VP&S, died Dec. 31, 2018. He was 84. Upon graduation from VP&S, he served in the U.S. Air Force, leaving as a major in 1968. During that time, he served at Walter Reed Army Hospital, completed an Air Force-sponsored civilian residency in radiology at NewYork-Presbyterian, and served for four years at the USAF Hospital in Evreux, France, and the U.S. Air Force Academy Hospital. At Columbia, Dr. King developed an interest in the nascent field of diagnostic ultrasound imaging, being the first to offer it as a general clinical service. In 1970, he developed electrocardiographic-gated ultrasonic imaging of the heart. In 1975, he edited the first comprehensive textbook, “Diagnostic Ultrasound.” He received two patents covering his 3D imaging apparatus and several grants to pursue its development. In 1992, he received the Joseph H. Holmes Pioneer Award from the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. Dr. King is survived by his wife, Nancy, three sons, and six grandchildren. 

Laurus Waldemar Lehwalder, an ophthalmologist, died June 5, 2018, in Tempe, Arizona. He was 88. He grew up in Montana and after graduation from VP&S served in the U.S. Navy, where he aided refugees in Vietnam. He and his wife had three children and settled in Missoula, Montana. He is survived by his wife, children, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

William E. Temple, who was on the team that used the first cardiopulmonary bypass equipment for open heart procedures, died Oct. 5, 2018. He was 88. A New Jersey native, Dr. Temple worked at a telephone company before starting college. He interned in Chicago and became a research fellow at the American Heart Association. In the U.S. Air Force, he conducted research associated with the Apollo rocket and became a flight surgeon.After discharge, he completed an orthopedics residency and moved to San Diego, where he was chief of orthopedics at Mercy Hospital. His hobbies were flying, driving fast in his BMW (he called that “flying low!”), and singing with the San Diego Master Chorale. His other hobbies were rowing, hiking, skiing, and spending time with friends and family.

1961
Frederic Augustus Alling, former director of inpatient services in substance abuse at St. Luke’s Hospital, died Oct. 22, 2018. He was 88. A New Jersey native, Dr. Alling studied philosophy and religion at Princeton before studying at General Theological Seminary in New York City and becoming an ordained priest. Alongside his MD he received an MS in social psychiatry. He worked as a psychiatrist at Harlem and St. Luke’s hospitals, volunteered to help the homeless, and wrote numerous articles. He also published a book titled “Brief Flights: Transcendent Experiences.” He retired to Marblehead and worked at a psychiatric clinic and helped Cambodian refugees in Lynn, Massachusetts. His hobby was sailing. He was devoted to his family and is survived by his wife, Martha, three daughters, and a sister. 

1963
Michael Gary Ehrlich, who specialized in pediatric orthopedics, died July 21, 2018, at age 78. At VP&S, he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha. He trained in orthopedic surgery and became chief of pediatric orthopedics and associate professor at Harvard. After moving to Rhode Island, he served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Lifespan Health System. He received numerous prestigious awards, including an endowed chair in orthopedic research bearing his name.He is survived by his sons and grandchildren.

1964
Ann Heroy Webb, a public health worker who was board-certified in family practice, geriatrics, and preventive medicine, died Sept. 15, 2018, of a traumatic brain injury following a fall in her home in Oxford, Maryland. She was 80. She received an MPH from Johns Hopkins and served as a health officer in various Maryland counties. She also was on the medical staff of an Easton, Maryland, hospital. Upon retirement, several hospitals gave her citations honoring her service. She also served on the board of directors of her county’s historical society. She is survived by husband and classmate, Charles Webb, and two sons and their families.

1967
Richard J. Mackler, who practiced endocrinology for 45 years in Montreal, died Feb. 2, 2019. At VP&S, he was elected a member of Alpha Omega Alpha. In Canada he was professor of endocrinology at Montreal General Hospital and taught endocrinology in association with McGill University in addition to maintaining an independent medical practice. Known for his generosity, Dr. Mackler funded two scholarships for students with need. He was a patron of art and theater companies and taught himself Italian (he was already fluent in German and French). His siblings, six nieces and nephews, and nine grandnieces and grandnephews survive him.

Carol Petito, a distinguished neuropathologist who was the first to discover changes to the brains of AIDS patients—a landmark finding in the diagnosis and treatment of AIDS—died Dec. 15, 2018, at age 76. She would say that her greatest accomplishments were the many residents and young doctors that she mentored and trained throughout her career at Cornell and at the University of Miami as director of its residency training program. She continued to mentor doctors and practice medicine until 2017, not letting the lung cancer diagnosed in 2010 get in her way. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Michael Norenberg, two children, five grandsons, two siblings, and her ex-husband, VP&S classmate Frank Petito. 

1980
Warren Scott Grundfest, an internationally recognized surgeon, inventor, and bioengineer, died Dec. 28, 2018, in Los Angeles. Born into a medical family, Dr. Grundfest worked in the laboratory of Nobelist Eric Kandel before entering medical school at VP&S. He completed his internship and general surgery residency at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Early in his career, he was best known for cutting-edge work on the excimer laser for medical applications. He also pioneered instrumentation for minimally invasive surgery, saving the lives of countless patients. He became professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles and served as chair of biomedical engineering at the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science; he was also a member of the UCLA Brain Research Institute and the California Nanosystems Institute. He authored more than 175 papers and numerous book chapters and had more than 20 patents. He lectured internationally and was a longstanding consultant and adviser to governmental entities such as the NIH and FDA. The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering gave him the Pierre Galletti Award, the organization’s highest honor. He was passionate about classical music and environmental and human rights causes. Dr. Grundfest is survived by his wife, Andrea, his mother, and his sister, Sharon Grundfest-Broniatowski'73.

Martin P. O’Laughlin, a pediatric cardiologist, died Dec. 22, 2018, at age 63. He completed residency training at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and was a former associate professor of pediatric cardiology at Duke University. At the time of his death, he lived in Missouri. 

1990
James “Jim” V. Joy III, an anesthesiologist, died Nov. 1, 2018, in a skiing accident in Argentina on his way to Antarctica in his quest to ski on all seven continents. He was 54. In his undergraduate years at Fordham, he started the Outdoors Club and also worked as an actor and director. While at VP&S he acted in and directed shows produced by the Bard Hall Players. After an internship at Greenwich Hospital, he moved to Seattle for a residency in anesthesiology. It was in Seattle that he met his future wife, Lori, who survives him along with their two daughters. 

 

Other Alumni Deaths 

Seymour Cohen’41 PhD
Girard Craft’43
James Kieran’44
Gary Piccione’44
Gray C. Buck’45
Philip Duffy’47
Lawrence M. Bugbee’54
Burton Cohen’54
Warner V. Slack’59
Joel Duberstein’61
Luther M. Strayer III’61
Herman Frankel’62
Frederick Dietz’77
Timothy Aliff’96