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RICHARD ROCKEFELLER Obituary

ROCKEFELLER--Dr. Richard. The David Rockefeller Family deeply mourns the sudden death of Dr. Richard Gilder Rockefeller on June 13, 2014. He was a cherished husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and grandfather who played a pivotal role in our extended family. We have been profoundly touched by the outpouring of love, admiration and support from people all over the world whose lives Richard also touched. Richard was passionate about everything he did as a physician, as an activist and as a philanthropist. He was at home in art, in music and in nature. He was intensely curious about how things work, from the physical world to the human psyche. His formal education came from the North Country School, the Choate School, Harvard College and the Harvard Medical School. But his informal learning never stopped, nor did his drive to make the world a better place. He founded, led or served many non-profit organizations (including those listed below) and gave generously to them in time and treasure. In addition, he served as president of the Rockefeller Family Fund and chairman of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Richard's immediate family consists of his wife Nancy King Rockefeller; his son Clayton and daughter Rebecca; his grandchildren Ozzy and Elsa and Wilder; Nancy's sons Max and Griffin; his father David Rockefeller; Richards' siblings and spouses, David and Susan, Abby and Lee, Neva and Bruce, Peggy and Barry, Eileen and Paul; and numerous nieces and nephews and cousins whom he adored. We all miss him so much. The Family plans a private service of remembrance this summer, and there will be a memorial service in the fall, time and place to be announced. Contributions in his memory may be made to: Sargasso Sea Alliance (http://www.sargassoalliance.org/); Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (the PTSD project) (http://www.maps.org/); Doctors without Borders (http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/); Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (http://www.dndina.org/); Maine Coast Heritage Trust (http://www.mcht.org/)

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Published by New York Times on Jun. 27, 2014.

Memories and Condolences
for RICHARD ROCKEFELLER

18 Entries

Cheryl-Anne Simoneau

June 21, 2019

This year marks the fifth anniversary of your passing, yet the ache in my heart feels as though you were gone just yesterday. I miss our phone conversations and emails where we discussed the present and future of CML. You'll be happy to know that many of your words of wisdom have been shared with new CML patients. So, even though you are gone, your wisdom continues to benefit patients. Metta, Cheryl-Anne

MJ King

July 11, 2014

Richard....you were such a bright light on this planet and will be remembered with great love and admiration.

Patricia Kelly

July 7, 2014

Dr. Rockefeller,you saved my daughter's life in 1988. She was 17 at the time, very sick, and other Drs waved off that she could have lupus, the disease that took my sister. You came to Maine Med as a favor to us, wrote orders, and she is here today, the mom of my 18 year old grandson.

Jennifer

July 1, 2014

RIchard, you were a kind heart, a wise man, and an inspiration to so many. Thank you for making the world a better place with your passion for helping to heal people and the environment. You are missed but never forgotten, forever loved.

Susan Loewenkamp

July 1, 2014

Your kindness, wisdom and friendship will stay with me and help guide me through the rest of my life. My profound sympathy to your loving family. we shall all miss you forever.

hiking in Bhutan

David Shaw

July 1, 2014

a wonderful collaborator on ocean stewardship

David Shaw

July 1, 2014

David and Richard in Bermuda

David Shaw

July 1, 2014

Glenn

July 1, 2014

Richard--we miss you so much. I know that you are having a ball wherever you are--healing when you can, laughing a lot. Like a good ancestor, you have left a part of yourself in each one of us who loved you.

Teri Noel Towe

June 29, 2014

I extend sincerest sympathy and condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of a marvelous, remarkable man who honored me with his close friendship when we were elementary school classmates at The Buckley School in the City of New York. Dick was one of the all-time best and will remain an inspiration not only to those who were privileged to know him but also to those who share his commitment to making the world a better place for all of its inhabitants.

Cathi Eckelkamp

June 28, 2014

Thank you for making this world a better place! You will be missed but your generous contributions and love live on.

Cathy Robie

June 27, 2014

26 years ago next week, Dr Rockefeller delivered our daughter. Relaxed, with us through the whole labor, he sat with his computer handbook learning how one could use a computer to document all of a person's symptoms and history to help diagnose, treat and care for his patients. Always a learner and a wonderful family physician, I am so very sad to learn of his way-too-early death. My heart goes out to his whole family.

John Anderson

June 27, 2014

We will miss you deeply and have a wide hole in our hearts. The world has surely lost a Rainbow Warrior.
Love, John,Carrie and Ian

Bonnie Sullivan

June 27, 2014

Miss you, Richard. Lots of love to all of you in the family who are hurting right now.

Cheryl-Anne Simoneau

June 27, 2014

Thank You very much Richard for all your kindness and the generous gift of your inquisitive mind. It was an absolute pleasure to travel with you to the ASH conference where we learned about the potential for ourselves and fellow CML patients to live in a 'Treatment Free Remission', which I know you were enjoying very much. Your keen insights help me to decide to start The CML Society of Canada. Thank you so much for helping us to put together the Dictionary of words used when talking about Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. Through you I also learned about Metta - and practice it everyday. My world was made a much better place through all that you taught me. It is so difficult to believe that you are gone, for it was way too soon, you had so much left to live and thrive for. My deepest condolences to all of Richard's family. Holding you all in my heart.

June 27, 2014

I deeply regret the passing of this kind man, my college roommate.

Scott Bowie

Jennifer TIerney

June 27, 2014

I had the distinct honor and pleasure of partnering with Richard when I was Development Director and he Advisory Board Chair at Doctors Without Borders. The intelligence, curiosity, patience, compassion, and kindness with which he approached every interaction I ever had or witnessed with Richard serves as a guide for us all on a life well lived. The countless people he touched through his tireless work with Doctors Without Borders cannot be under estimated. May his family be comforted knowing how many people he touched )and lives he saved!)- from New York to Peru to Nigeria - through his work with MSF.

Tim Glidden

June 27, 2014

Thank you for a life lived fully with a generous passion to improve the world, an insatiable curiosity; and unfailing kindness. I hope amazing legacy is a comfort for his family in this very sad time.

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