Robert W. Hopkins died February 22, 2016, at his home in Milton, MA.
He attended Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, then followed his father and grandfather into surgery, completing his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was a lieutenant in the US Navy in Korea, where on the hospital ship USS Repose he earned a Medal of Commendation.
Robert Hopkins, MD
As a civilian he was a surgeon and instructor at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine before Fiorindo Simeone, MD ’29 ScM’30 recruited him to help develop Brown’s new medical program.
In addition to his work as surgeon-in-chief at The Miriam Hospital and professor of medical science at Brown, Robert was the medical director of the Miriam’s Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory; performed the first kidney transplant in Rhode Island, in 1973; was a surgical consultant at Rhode Island Medical Center and Roger Williams General Hospital; and served on numerous medical societies. Upon retirement he was honored as professor emeritus at Brown, and the Miriam renamed his lab the Robert W. Hopkins Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Ann, and two daughters and two granddaughters. Gifts in his memory may be made to Doctors Without Borders, 333 7th Avenue, NY, NY 10001-5004; or to Harvard Medical School, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive, Suite 22W, Boston, MA 02215.
