Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=135937867
Robert F. Willkens
Robert F. WILLKENS, MD Robert F. Willkens was born July 1, 1927 in Brooklyn, NY. He was the only child of German immi grants Robert A. Willkens and Christine (Lehreider) Willkens. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York City and went on to receive his Bachelor of Science in 1950 from Antioch Col lege in Yellow Springs, OH. He served in the U.S. Army from 1945-47. He was a medical school graduate of the University of Rochester (NY) Class of 1954. He received his postgraduate train ing as an Intern in Rotating Gen eral Medicine at King County Hospital--Harborview--and Fel lowship training in Rheumatolo gy at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. He re turned to Seattle in 1958 to join the University of Washington as a Chief Medical Resident at the new University of Washington Medical Center. He went on to serve as a member of the Univer sity of Washington Department of Medicine Clinical Faculty, while maintaining a half-time private practice in Rheumatology. This arrangement permitted him to carry out both laboratory and clinical research, which included pioneering studies on treating rheumatoid arthritis with me thotrexate and epidemiological studies assessing genetic factors in the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis among the Yakima Indi ans of Washington State. He served as a Clinical Instructor and Professor of Medicine at Har borview Medical Center from 1959 until formally retiring in 2006. He is a Master in the Ameri can College of Rheumatology (ACR) and in 1999 he received the Distinguished Rheumatologist Award from the ACR for out standing contributions in the area of patient care, clinical scholar ship, and service to benefit pa tients with rheumatic diseases. In addition to his academic and medical pursuits, "RFW" was a community advocate for the arts. He served and held offices on the Executive Board and Advisory Council of ACT Theatre since 1963, and in the 1980s also served as a member of the Pike Place Market Foundation and King County Arts Commission. Throughout his retirement, he served on the Board of Directors of Skills, Inc. - a Ballard, WA, aerospace manufacturer " where persons with disabili ties can contribute their skills." He was an extremely passionate husband, father, relative, friend, colleague, educator, student, and neighbor. He took pleasure in ex tensive worldwide travels throughout his life and was par ticularly fond of Southern France. In his athletic years, he was an avid downhill skier and enjoyed "breaking fresh powder" at resorts throughout the West. He completely reveled in the Greater Seattle environs and pur sued backpacking, hiking, snow skiing, jogging and water skiing. Important hobbies included pho tography, video editing, reading and writing. He always enjoyed a good joke, conversation or glass of wine with friends. Bob was diagnosed with Stage-3 Multiple Myeloma in 2000 and tenaciously survived after a stem cell transplant and recovery treatment at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. His compromised immune system, a heart condi tion, acute pneumonia and the H1N1 virus all contributed to his peaceful death on November 11, 2009. His survivors include loving spouse Marjory (Thompson) Willkens, son Garen (Patti) Willkens, daughter Holly (Scott) Merrick, daughter Rebecca Willkens, son Matthew (Diane Valach) Willkens and grandchil dren Paige Willkens, Mandy Mer rick, Miguel Willkens and Chris tine Schank. He is also survived by numerous relatives through out the U.S. and Germany. His family would like to extend immense appreciation to his "Committee of Caregivers", Medic One, Harborview Medical Center, the University of Wash ington and ACT Theatre. Memo rial donations may be made to the Robert Willkens Endowed Pro fessorship Fund at the University of Washington, Division of Rheu matology, Box 356428-Universi ty of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195. A memorial celebration of his life will be held at ACT Theatre (700 Union Street, Seattle) on Sat urday, November 21st at 1:00PM
Published in The Seattle Times on November 15, 2009
Robert F. Willkens
Robert F. WILLKENS, MD Robert F. Willkens was born July 1, 1927 in Brooklyn, NY. He was the only child of German immi grants Robert A. Willkens and Christine (Lehreider) Willkens. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York City and went on to receive his Bachelor of Science in 1950 from Antioch Col lege in Yellow Springs, OH. He served in the U.S. Army from 1945-47. He was a medical school graduate of the University of Rochester (NY) Class of 1954. He received his postgraduate train ing as an Intern in Rotating Gen eral Medicine at King County Hospital--Harborview--and Fel lowship training in Rheumatolo gy at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. He re turned to Seattle in 1958 to join the University of Washington as a Chief Medical Resident at the new University of Washington Medical Center. He went on to serve as a member of the Univer sity of Washington Department of Medicine Clinical Faculty, while maintaining a half-time private practice in Rheumatology. This arrangement permitted him to carry out both laboratory and clinical research, which included pioneering studies on treating rheumatoid arthritis with me thotrexate and epidemiological studies assessing genetic factors in the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis among the Yakima Indi ans of Washington State. He served as a Clinical Instructor and Professor of Medicine at Har borview Medical Center from 1959 until formally retiring in 2006. He is a Master in the Ameri can College of Rheumatology (ACR) and in 1999 he received the Distinguished Rheumatologist Award from the ACR for out standing contributions in the area of patient care, clinical scholar ship, and service to benefit pa tients with rheumatic diseases. In addition to his academic and medical pursuits, "RFW" was a community advocate for the arts. He served and held offices on the Executive Board and Advisory Council of ACT Theatre since 1963, and in the 1980s also served as a member of the Pike Place Market Foundation and King County Arts Commission. Throughout his retirement, he served on the Board of Directors of Skills, Inc. - a Ballard, WA, aerospace manufacturer " where persons with disabili ties can contribute their skills." He was an extremely passionate husband, father, relative, friend, colleague, educator, student, and neighbor. He took pleasure in ex tensive worldwide travels throughout his life and was par ticularly fond of Southern France. In his athletic years, he was an avid downhill skier and enjoyed "breaking fresh powder" at resorts throughout the West. He completely reveled in the Greater Seattle environs and pur sued backpacking, hiking, snow skiing, jogging and water skiing. Important hobbies included pho tography, video editing, reading and writing. He always enjoyed a good joke, conversation or glass of wine with friends. Bob was diagnosed with Stage-3 Multiple Myeloma in 2000 and tenaciously survived after a stem cell transplant and recovery treatment at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. His compromised immune system, a heart condi tion, acute pneumonia and the H1N1 virus all contributed to his peaceful death on November 11, 2009. His survivors include loving spouse Marjory (Thompson) Willkens, son Garen (Patti) Willkens, daughter Holly (Scott) Merrick, daughter Rebecca Willkens, son Matthew (Diane Valach) Willkens and grandchil dren Paige Willkens, Mandy Mer rick, Miguel Willkens and Chris tine Schank. He is also survived by numerous relatives through out the U.S. and Germany. His family would like to extend immense appreciation to his "Committee of Caregivers", Medic One, Harborview Medical Center, the University of Wash ington and ACT Theatre. Memo rial donations may be made to the Robert Willkens Endowed Pro fessorship Fund at the University of Washington, Division of Rheu matology, Box 356428-Universi ty of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195. A memorial celebration of his life will be held at ACT Theatre (700 Union Street, Seattle) on Sat urday, November 21st at 1:00PM
Published in The Seattle Times on November 15, 2009