In Memoriam Catherine (Cathy) Kyong Ponce, MD, passed away on May 23, 2011, in San Francisco with her husband Bruce Ponce by her side. Cathy was born and raised in Shanghai in the 1940s and left to study in Taiwan through the efforts of her father and uncle. She completed her internship in internal medicine in St. John, New Foundland, in Canada and then went to work at the I.W.K. Children’s Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1974, Cathy received a fellowship at the University of Charleston in South Carolina, where she spent two years training in pediatric infectious disease and immunology and met her future husband. In 1984 the pair moved to San Francisco where she spent the reminder of her working as a solo private consultant in pediatrics and infectious disease.
Enrique Francisco Agorio, MD, MPH,
a retired pediatrician, passed away peacefully at his home in San Mateo on June 20, 2011, surrounded by his family. Born in Uruguay, he graduated from medical school in Montevideo. He did his pediatric residencies at McGill University Montreal Children’s Hospital and the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada, and then held a position at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, while working on his MPH. Upon completion he moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a pediatrician and acting medical director at the East Los Angeles Child and Youth Clinic. In 1973, Enrique and his family moved to San Francisco where he began his private practice in the Mission District and served the community for over thirty years. He was a staff member at St. Luke’s Hospital and Seton Medical Center. Enrique enjoyed traveling, cooking and gardening; was an artist and a fantastic and animated storyteller.
Gilbert W. Cleasby, MD, a long-time
resident of San Francisco, was born in Everett, Washington in 1927. After obtaining a degree in pharmacy from the University of Washington and his MD degree from Northwestern University, Dr. Cleasby came to San Francisco in 1952 for internship at Letterman Hospital. Following military service in Korea, residency in ophthalmology at Stanford University and fellowship study at Columbia University, he joined Drs. Hans Barkan and Jerome Bettman in practice in San Francisco in 1958. Dr. Cleasby subsequently engaged in clinical practice and in teaching at CPMC until his retirement in 2000.
John C. Bennett, MD, chief of the radiology department at St. Mary’s Medical Center for nearly twenty-five years and a Catholic lay 34
leader active in charitable and civic organizations, died November 20, 2011, at his home in San Rafael. He was 90 years old. Dr. Bennett was a prominent Bay Area radiologist for four decades. He was also a clinical professor at UCSF, where he joined the faculty in 1953 and continued to teach until 2009. He served on the Board of Advisors of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, Berkeley, and was a lector and long-time parishioner at St. Anselm’s Parish in San Anselmo. In recent years, he was a volunteer for Handicapables of Marin, which provides services for residents of Marin with physical or mental disabilities. Dr. Bennett enjoyed skiing, sailing and hiking. While in the army, he learned to fly light planes, and, in his 50s, became a licensed glider pilot. He is survived by his wife of fifty-three years and his four children.
Lawrence Joe, MD, passed away peacefully at home with his loving family by his side on October 27, 2011, at the age of 94. Dr. Joe practiced medicine until Dec. 31, 2010, when he finally decided to retire at the youthful age of 93. He served his Chinatown community in his medical practice at the same location on Pacific Avenue in San Francisco for sixty-four years. He was a native San Franciscan and a pioneer in Chinatown medical practices. He often made house calls in the early days of his practice and had the philosophy that if you took the time to tell the patient what you were trying to do to help him or her, he or she would cooperate more. He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Pearl, his sons, and their families.
Michael B. Bunim, MD, passed away on August 5, two days before his 67th birthday, after a long illness as a result of heart surgery in 2008 when he suffered an anoxic brain injury. He graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1969. In 1973, he completed his residency training in Internal Medicine at Kaiser San Francisco. From 1975 on, he was an instructor in Clinical Medicine at the UCSF. He had a private practice in medicine at Mt. Zion Hospital, then CPMC, and eventually returned to Kaiser in 1988 where he dedicated himself to his patients for over twenty years until his early retirement in 2009 due to the brain injury. He met his wife Cindy in 1983 when they both lived on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. After years traveling the world together, they moved to Marin County and got married. In 1995, Michael became a father when Alyssa was born and then again in 1997 when Jay was born. His children were his greatest joy in life.
San Francisco Medicine April 2012
Ronald B. Low, MD, passed into the land of peace and tranquility on August 15, 2011. Ronald was born in San Francisco, a proud member for the brigade of Chinese American physicians born at Chinese Hospital and who subsequently returned to the community to work with its people. He attended public school, Lowell High School, UC Berkeley and then to Northwestern University of Medicine. He received his Pediatric training at UCSF and became Board certified in the practice of Pediatrics for thirty-five years. He was a longtime active member of the SFMS. Russell J. Tat, MD, Passed away peacefully
at home in February, 2011. Born in Seattle, Russell graduated from the University of Oregon Medical School, then came to San Francisco and married Carol Sherwin. He served in WWII, then returned to practice internal medicine and hematology. Russell was loved by his patients for his caring bedside manner, and his colleagues for his brilliance and sense of humor. He was associated with Mt. Zion Hospital for forty-five years. He is survived by his wife, two children, and their families.
Samuel Lloyd Scarlett, MD, age 96, died
on November 2, 2011. Born in Suisun Valley, CA, he was married to Florence McCormack Scarlett for fifty seven years. A graduate of Stanford University Medical School, Dr. Scarlett was Chief Assistant Surgeon and a clinical professor at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and Medical School in London, England, from 1942 to 1944. Dr. Scarlett practiced internal medicine and allergy and immunology at 490 Post for forty one years.
Vernon Clyde Harp, Jr., MD, passed away on October 12, 2011, at the age of 92. He was husband to the late Florence “Tookie” Grimm Harp and then Mary Margaret Casey Harp. He began his medical training by attending Cal Berkeley and then UCSF, before serving his internship at SF General. Vernon completed his residency in cardiology at UCSF before establishing his private practice at 490 Post, 450 Sutter, and then 4141 Geary Blvd. During this time, Vernon taught medicine at UCSF as an associate clinical professor. In 1954, Vernon joined the SFMS where he served as President in 1957. A skilled trumpeter, Vernon started playing at the age of six. Not only did he play, Vernon became an avid collector of historic brass horns when a friend gave him a flugelhorn that had been buried in a German village, hidden to avoid being melted down for munitions during World War II. Over the years, Vernon has collected and restored over 50 horns, which can all be played. www.sfms.org