- Email: [email protected]
Robert Douglas Jeffs 1924–2006
Journal of Pediatric Urology (2006) 2, 526e527
OBITUARY
Robert Douglas Jeffs 1924e2006
Dr. Robert Douglas Jeffs the first Professor of Pediatric Urology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital died at his home in Owings Mills, Maryland on August 28 of pulmonary fibrosis. Bob was born in Toronto and graduated from Upper Canada College. He started his premedical studies before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force when he was 17 years old. He trained to fly Tiger Moth fighter planes but the war ended before he was deployed overseas. At war’s end he returned to The University of Toronto and earned his medical degree. During 1477-5131/$30 doi:10.1016/j.jpurol.2006.09.001
a year of research he worked part time at Lyndhurst Lodge Hospital where he met Catharine Purner who was a physical therapy student. They were married for 55 years. Dr. Jeffs received a travelling fellowship and was sent to England to observe Sir David Innis Williams in London and other leading British Pediatric Urologists of the time. He returned to Toronto where he developed the speciality of Pediatric Urology at the Hospital for Sick Children where he remained until 1975. In 1975 when Dr. Patrick Walsh became chief at Hopkins he saw the need for world class Pediatric
Obituary Urology at Hopkins and was able to recruit Bob and Catharine to come to Baltimore. He practiced solo at Hopkins until joined by John Gearhart in 1985. Bob’s major interest was the treatment of bladder exstrophy and he advanced the science of bladder exstrophy over the years. Bob stepped down as chief of Pediatric Urology in 1995 and continued to be active for a number of years. Bob started an annual exstrophy picnic and information seminar over 20 years ago and this was one of his proudest accomplishments now having over 300 attendees yearly in the summer. In his free time, Bob enjoyed a vacation home on an island in the Georgian Bay north of Toronto. He was an avid sailor in his later years, a superb woodworker, and a scratch golfer obtaining a ‘‘Hole in One’’ at the Greenspring Valley Country Club near his home. Services were held at St Thomas’s Episcopal Church, 232 St Thomas Lane on 6th September.
527 He is survived by his wife Catharine, daughter Rebecca, sons e Douglas and Robert and Doreen a sister, and, in addition, four grandchildren, one step grandchild, and one foster grandchild. He was a member of the Society of Pediatric Urological Surgeons (SPUS) and numerous other surgical organizations. Bob was a recipient of both the American Academy of Pediatrics Medal and the St. Paul’s Medal from the British Association of Urological Surgeons. J.P. Gearhart Division of Pediatric Urology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Brady Urologic Institute, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Marburg 146, Baltimore, MD 21287-2101, United States Tel.: þ1 410 955 5358; fax: þ1 410 955 0833. E-mail address: [email protected] Available online 9 October 2006
OBITUARY
Robert Douglas Jeffs 1924e2006
Dr. Robert Douglas Jeffs the first Professor of Pediatric Urology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital died at his home in Owings Mills, Maryland on August 28 of pulmonary fibrosis. Bob was born in Toronto and graduated from Upper Canada College. He started his premedical studies before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force when he was 17 years old. He trained to fly Tiger Moth fighter planes but the war ended before he was deployed overseas. At war’s end he returned to The University of Toronto and earned his medical degree. During 1477-5131/$30 doi:10.1016/j.jpurol.2006.09.001
a year of research he worked part time at Lyndhurst Lodge Hospital where he met Catharine Purner who was a physical therapy student. They were married for 55 years. Dr. Jeffs received a travelling fellowship and was sent to England to observe Sir David Innis Williams in London and other leading British Pediatric Urologists of the time. He returned to Toronto where he developed the speciality of Pediatric Urology at the Hospital for Sick Children where he remained until 1975. In 1975 when Dr. Patrick Walsh became chief at Hopkins he saw the need for world class Pediatric
Obituary Urology at Hopkins and was able to recruit Bob and Catharine to come to Baltimore. He practiced solo at Hopkins until joined by John Gearhart in 1985. Bob’s major interest was the treatment of bladder exstrophy and he advanced the science of bladder exstrophy over the years. Bob stepped down as chief of Pediatric Urology in 1995 and continued to be active for a number of years. Bob started an annual exstrophy picnic and information seminar over 20 years ago and this was one of his proudest accomplishments now having over 300 attendees yearly in the summer. In his free time, Bob enjoyed a vacation home on an island in the Georgian Bay north of Toronto. He was an avid sailor in his later years, a superb woodworker, and a scratch golfer obtaining a ‘‘Hole in One’’ at the Greenspring Valley Country Club near his home. Services were held at St Thomas’s Episcopal Church, 232 St Thomas Lane on 6th September.
527 He is survived by his wife Catharine, daughter Rebecca, sons e Douglas and Robert and Doreen a sister, and, in addition, four grandchildren, one step grandchild, and one foster grandchild. He was a member of the Society of Pediatric Urological Surgeons (SPUS) and numerous other surgical organizations. Bob was a recipient of both the American Academy of Pediatrics Medal and the St. Paul’s Medal from the British Association of Urological Surgeons. J.P. Gearhart Division of Pediatric Urology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Brady Urologic Institute, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Marburg 146, Baltimore, MD 21287-2101, United States Tel.: þ1 410 955 5358; fax: þ1 410 955 0833. E-mail address: [email protected] Available online 9 October 2006