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Robert J. Glaser, former dean of the Stanford University School of Medicine, died June 7 at his home in Palo Alto. He was 93.

Glaser was hired as dean of the Stanford School of Medicine in 1965, shortly after the school had moved from San Francisco to Palo Alto. In 1968, Glaser was instrumental in negotiating a $1 million purchase of Palo Alto's stake of the Palo Alto-Stanford Hospital, which had been a source of some tension.

"He was able to negotiate the deal, and everyone came out of it reasonably happy," said Paul Berg, Ph.D.

That same year, Glaser served as acting president of Stanford University after J.E. Wallace Sterling retired, a time that saw student protests against the Vietnam War.

Glaser was born and raised in St. Louis, Mo. After earning his undergraduate from Harvard College, he obtained his M.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Medical School in 1943.

He returned to St. Louis for his residency at the Washington University School of Medicine, where he focused on researching streptococcal infections and rheumatic fever.

While overseeing medical students, he met his future wife Helen Hofsommer, M.D., who would go on to become a pediatrician.

After rising to the position of associate dean at the medical school of Washington University, Glaser accepted an offer in 1956 to become dean of the medical school and vice president for medical affairs at the University of Colorado, where he oversaw the completion of a new medical center complex.

Prior to arriving at Stanford, Glaser also led Affiliated Hospitals Center Inc. in Boston, Mass., a merger of six Harvard-affiliated hospitals.

Glaser left Stanford in 1970 and subsequently held positions at organizations and nonprofits dedicated to promoting medical education and scholarship, including the Commonwealth Fund, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Lucille P. Markey Charitable Trust.

Glaser received numerous awards in his lifetime, including the Abraham Flexner Medal for Distinguished Service to Medical Education, the Stearns Award for Lifetime Achievement in Medicine from the New York Academy of Medicine, and the Harvard Medal for Distinguished Service.

Glaser is survived by three children -- Sally Glaser of Palo Alto; Joseph Glaser II of Nashville, Tenn.; and Robert Glaser Jr., of Colleyville, Texas -- and four grandchildren. Helen Glaser died in 1999.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to either the American Philosophical Society, 104 South Fifth St., Philadelphia, PA, 19106; or the Cancer Prevention Institute of California, 2201 Walnut Ave., Suite 300, Fremont, CA, 94538.
Plans for a memorial service are pending.

— Palo Alto Weekly staff

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