Robert J. Gorlin

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Gorlin, Robert J., MS DDS (83 years old) of Golden Valley died peacefully Tuesday, 8/29 in Mpls at the hospital where he worked for 50 years. He was preceded in death by his parents & survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Marilyn; children, Cathy, Jed & 5 grandchildren, Lauren, Ross, Adeline, Rachel & Rebecca. Robert was born in Hudson, NY, went to Columbia College & attended Wash Univ. Dental School. He served in WWII (Army) and Korean war (Navy). He was faculty at U. IA & U. of MN. He taught 50 classes of dental and medical students @ U. MN, where he was Regents Professor of Oral Path & Genetics & Dr. of Science, the highest honors for faculty. His legendary humor & photographic memory allowed him to call on students by name even before he had met them! He was Professor and Chair of Oral Path. & was faculty in 5 med school departments inc. Pediatrics, OB-GYN, Dermatology, Pathology and Otolaryngology. His academic contributions and publications were protean with >700 published articles, many books & innumerable chapters. He helped delineate and name over 90 syndromes including some named after him. He received honorary professorships in Athens, Copenhagen & Dublin. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine (US), and Royal College of Physicians (UK). He received the Italian Prize for Medical Genetics and the ADA Norton M. Ross award. He will be missed by all who knew him as a loving, humble, but irreverant soul. Gatherings, in lieu of a service, will be at the homes of Jed Gorlin, 805 Park Terrace, Hopkins, Wed., 8/30 between 6-9 PM and Cathy Gorlin, 1230 Angelo Drive, Golden Valley on Thursday, 8/31 between 6-9 PM. A formal academic memorial service is to be scheduled later this fall. Memorials requested to: Robert J. Gorlin graduate student travel fund at Univ. MN Dental School.

Published on August 30, 2006