Elmer Dohrmann
1915-July 25, 2002
Atherton, California

Elmer Dohrmann, 87, a longtime resident of Atherton, and former president of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation board, died July 25, 2002.

Born in 1915, Staplehurst, Neb., he graduated from the University of Nebraska where he played football and was senior class president.

Aside from football, he played baseball, basketball and ran track, earning 11 letters, more than any other athlete in the school's history.

He was an All-American football player in 1937, and played in the East-West Shrine Game in 1938. Injuries prevented him from playing professional football.

He went to work for IBM in 1939, working for the company for 35 years until he retired in the mid-1970s.

During World War II, he was stationed at Treasure Island.

He lived White Plains, N.Y., Washington, D.C. and Darien, Conn. While living in White Plains, he joined the board of White Plains Hospital.

When he and his family eventually moved to California, he joined the Palo Alto Medical Research Foundation, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation's predecessor, in 1966 after a serendipitous lunch.

He had called Dr. Robert W. Jamplis, the foundation's president, to congratulate him on being named to Sports Illustrated Magazine's Silver Anniversary All-American Football Team. Dohrmann had been named to the team in 1926. At lunch, he was asked to serve on the foundation's board.

He also chaired the Player Selection Committee for the East-West Shrine Game, a college all-star football game played each year to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Betty Dohrmann of Atherton; son Steve Dohrmann of Atherton; daughter Sue Moore of San Rafael; and son Dick Dohrmann of Deerfield, Mass.; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

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