Lawrence Mathers, Stanford Anatomy Professor and Packard Pediatrician, Dies at 62

Business Wire, Feb 27, 2007

STANFORD, Calif. -- Lawrence Mathers, MD, PhD, a much-beloved anatomy teacher, pediatrician and musician who touched the lives of nearly every medical student to pass through the Stanford University School of Medicine in the last 30 years, was found dead at his home in San Carlos, Calif., on Feb. 21. A cause of death has not yet been determined.

Mathers was 62. Funeral arrangements are pending.

"He was considered one of the best anatomy teachers in the country and a superb physician," said Harvey Cohen, MD, PhD, professor of pediatrics and former chief of staff at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, where Mathers was the associate director of the intensive care unit.

Mathers, a professor of pediatrics and of surgery, carved out a dual career as a hands-on physician and an in-class anatomy teacher that made him particularly skilled at training future doctors, said Robert Chase, MD, professor emeritus of surgery and Mathers' friend and colleague for 40 years. Mathers was the chief of the medical school's human anatomy division.

"He answered the student's ever-present question, 'Why do I need to know that?'" said Chase, adding that Mathers did it with sensitivity and humor. "He won the teaching award whenever he was eligible for it. He won it at least 12 times."

Philip Pizzo, MD, dean of the medical school, noted that Mathers has been part of the Stanford community for more 40 years as a student and a faculty member. "Larry has taught generations of students human anatomy with both dignity and distinction," Pizzo said. "He has been a friend and colleague of legions of faculty and staff, and has won the hearts of many through his compassion, wisdom, music, excellence and personal thoughtfulness. Our entire community feels his loss acutely, and I know that his legacy will endure in all those who he has trained and cared for."

Colleagues and students who expected to see Mathers in class this week were shocked and saddened by his death.

"We don't know how he's ever going to be replaced," said Sepideh Saber, 25, a second-year medical student and teaching assistant for the current anatomy class. "We always associate anatomy with him. He knew every single student's name after one week of class. He always made sure we understood everything through little stories and jokes. He was so considerate, just an incredible teacher."

Mathers always paid homage to the cadavers in the dissection lab at the beginning of the anatomy course with a moment of silence to honor the people who had donated their bodies to teach future doctors.

"He really showed that respect, that real sense of honor and privilege," said Juno Obedin-Maliver, a second-year medical student. "He really wanted us to be the best physicians that we could be."

Many colleagues and students said they will remember Mathers playing the piano in the Stanford Hospital atrium, entertaining them as they went about their day's work healing patients. His passion for anatomy and medicine was rivaled only by his passion for music, both singing and playing the piano, said Lorry Frankel, MD, chief of the intensive care unit at Packard Children's.

"He played everything -- blues, jazz, classic, swing. You name it, he could play it," said Frankel, who added that a special tribute was given to Mathers on Feb. 22 during a concert at the medical school featuring the music of George Gershwin.

"There was a standing ovation," Frankel said. "It was really spectacular. It was a great tribute. I closed my eyes and Larry was there again playing the piano." Frankel said he spent much of that day listening to Mathers' students and colleagues talk about how much he'll be missed.

"It's truly amazing to me to see how revered he was by the students," Frankel said. "He was just the ultimate you'd want from a physician/educator. We also held a reception with the nurses, the entire ICU staff. There wasn't a dry eye -- the attending physicians, clerks, therapists."

Mathers was instrumental in the development of the intensive care unit at Packard Children's, Frankel said, which grew from 600 patients in the 1980s when Mathers first joined the staff to 1,500 patients last year.

A native of San Francisco, Mathers spent most of his educational and professional career at Stanford. He graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in biology in 1966, and completed his doctorate in anatomy there in 1971. He graduated from Stanford's medical school in 1982 and did both his residency and fellowship at Stanford.

He was preceded in death by his wife Mil who died in the spring of 2002. He is survived by his stepchildren Doug Jones, Mark Jones and Beth Jones.

Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions -- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. For more information, please visit the Web site of the medical center's Office of Communication & Public Affairs at http://mednews.stanford.edu.