Deaths
March 27, 2007, Volume 53, No. 27	Print Issue

Dr. Lief, Medicine

Dr. Harold I. Lief, professor emeritus of psychiatry, died of heart failure on March 15 at the age of 89. A pioneer for education on human sexuality, Dr. Lief joined the Penn faculty in 1967 as  professor of psychiatry and director of the Division of Family Study. During his time at Penn, he also served as director of the Marriage Council of Philadelphia and the Center for the Study of Sex Education in Medicine. After retiring from Penn in 1982, he was a psychiatric consultant at Pennsylvania Hospital and held a private practice in Wayne, PA. Dr. Lief earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1938 and a medical degree from New York University in 1942. Upon graduation he served in the Army Medical Corps during World War II. After the war, he completed psychoanalytic training at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. Before coming to Penn, Dr. Lief served on the faculty at the Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Lief is survived by his wife, Myrtis Brumfield Lief; daughter, Polly Goldberg; sons, Jonathan, Caleb, Frederick, and Oliver; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to the Abraham Fund Initiatives, which works “to advance coexistence, equality and cooperation among Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens,” 9 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017.

Dr. Rascoe, Medicine

Dr. Robert R. Rascoe, associate professor emeritus of obstetrics and gynecology, died March 13; he was 84.

Dr. Rascoe earned a B.S. from the University of North Carolina in 1943. He attended medical school at Penn and earned his M.D. in 1946. Remaining at Penn, he completed his residency and in 1953 began teaching in obstetrics and gynecology. In 1962, Dr. Rascoe was appointed assistant professor in ob-gyn. He was promoted to associate professor in 1971 and became emeritus in 1985.

Dr. Rascoe also taught residents and medical students in the Helen O. Dickens Center for Women’s Health. “He was very supportive of the residents and enjoyed the hours he spent teaching in Dickens,” said Dr. Deborah A. Driscoll, department chair. “Dr. Rascoe received consistently excellent evaluations for his teaching from the residents and students, and was the recipient of the Faculty Teaching Award in 1997.”

In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Rascoe had served as associate chief of obstetrics at Philadelphia General Hospital from 1960 to 1961. He was also a consulting gynecologist at Embreeville State Hospital in Coatesville, PA, and was chairman for the Utilization Management Committee at HUP.

Dr. Rascoe held numerous professional and scientific memberships.

Dr. Rascoe is survived by his wife, Phyllis; children, Rachel R. McGuinness and Jennifer R. Blanton; granddaughter, Meredith Blanton; and brother, Dr. Edwin Marston Rascoe.

Contributions may be made to Helen O. Dickens Center for Women’s Health, Prenatal Clinic, HUP, 3400 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Memorial for Dr. Bowman

A memorial for Dr. Frank Bowman, professor emeritus of Romance languages, will take place on Wednesday, March 28, from 5 to 7 p.m.  on the sixth floor of Van Pelt-Dietrich Library. The memorial will be followed by a reception. Dr. Bowman died on November 14, 2006, at the age of 79 (Almanac December 5, 2006).

Events Celebrating Dr. Lucid

The Kelly Writers House will remember and celebrate the life and work of Dr. Robert “Bob” Lucid twice in upcoming months. Dr. Lucid died December 12, 2006 at the age of 76 (Almanac December 19, 2006).

First, at 5 p.m., on Friday, April 13, the English department will host a memorial service on the sixth floor of Van Pelt-Dietrich Library.

Second, on Friday, October 19, at 6 p.m., at the Kelly Writers House, a celebration of  memories of Dr. Lucid with a Lucidfest–readings, reminiscences, and performances by Dr. Lucid’s former students, friends and colleagues. (This event takes place at the start of Penn’s Homecoming Weekend. Returning alumni are invited to begin the weekend at the Writers House.)

See the web page created for remembrances of and recordings by Dr. Lucid at http://writing.upenn.edu/wh/lucid.html.

To Report A Death Almanac appreciates being informed of the deaths of current and former faculty and staff members, students, and other members of the University community. However, notices of alumni deaths should be directed to the Alumni Records Office at Room 545, Franklin Building, (215) 898-8136 or e-mail record@ben.dev.upenn.edu.