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Robert Myers Obituary

Dr. Robert D. Myers, age 79, Professor Emeritus of East Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville, North Carolina, passed away at the Lehigh Hope Hospice, Lehigh, Florida, on July 16, 2011.
He was born October 25, 1931 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the late Clarence N. and Martha L. Myers. He attended Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. He received a B.S. degree from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania in 1953, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, in 1954 and 1956 respectively. On December 20, 1953, he was united in marriage to Marjorie A. Fretz in Souderton, Pennsylvania.
In 1956, Bob and Margie moved to Hamilton, New York, where he served as an Assistant and Associate Professor at Colgate University, as well as Director of its Research Council. In 1960, he spent one year at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Neurophysiology. He moved his family to London, England in 1963, where he spent two years as a visiting scientist in Physiology and Pharmacology at the National Institute for Medical Research at Mill Hill; in 1969 he returned to Mill Hill as Visiting Professor of Pharmacology. In 1965, he was named Professor of Psychological and Biological Sciences at Purdue University, serving as Director of the Psychobiology and Neurobiology Programs from 1968 to 1978. In 1975 he was a visiting Professor at LaTrobe University in Melbourne, Australia. In 1978, he was appointed Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and from 1979 to 1987 served as Director of the Bowles Biomedical Research Laboratory at U.N.C. In 1987, he was named joint Professor of Pharmacology and Psychiatric Medicine at the East Carolina University School of Medicine in Greenville, North Carolina. He was also Director of the Research Division at E.C.U.'s Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Studies. In 1996, the University Board of Trustees named him Distinguished Research Professor of Pharmacology. Bob retired from E.C.U. in 1998, at age 67, as Emeritus Distinguished Research Professor of Pharmacology. Bob and Margie have been living in Fort Myers, Florida since January, 2011.
Bob was the author of over 500 scientific publications and served on many national and international committees, including: the National Science Foundation Panels for Psychobiology and Neurobiology, the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke, the U.S. Veterans Administration, the National Institute of Environmental Health Science and the National Institutes of Health Aids-Related Programs. Bob was an active member in many Societies, including the American Physiological Society, the American Society for Pharmacology, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was also President of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society from 1994 to 1995. He wrote and edited several books, including authoring the Handbook of Drug and Chemical Stimulation of the Brain, editing and contributing to the three volume series on Methods in Psychobiology, and co-editing Neurohumoral Coding of Brain Function, and Neurochemical Analysis of the Conscious Brain. He was the major professor for over 100 Ph.D and Post Doctoral Students, many of whom came from around the world to work with Bob, and many of whom are quite active in the field of medicine today.
Bob, along with his wife Margie, were the Founders and Editors of ALCOHOL, the international biomedical journal. Bob also served on the editorial boards of numerous journals, including: Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, Brain Research Bulletin, Physiology and Behavior, Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, and Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews.
His awards and honors include the 1966 Ursinus College Outstanding Alumni Award, the 1971 Purdue Sigma Xi Award, the 1982 LaTrobe University Award, the 1984 Honorary Doctoral Degree from University of Granada, Spain, the 1985 Belgrade University, Yugoslavia Medal, the 1988 Granada, Spain Medical School Medal, the 1996 East Carolina University Sigma Xi Award, and the 1996 Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Research, also from East Carolina University. He was a fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society.
Bob's hobbies included a good game of golf, as well as gardening, music and travelling. He and Margie worked as a team, side by side for many years. They travelled the world together and spent a lot of their spare time in retirement visiting family and at their second home on the Pamlico Sound in North Carolina. He and Margie loved hosting parties for all of their students and staff through the years, and he always enjoyed a spirited intellectual discussion on any topic. He was a passionate college football and basketball fan, not missing many home games of any university where he taught and performed research, and loved to attend the games with his family. For the last two years, he enjoyed the fellowship and friendship of the members of the Golden K Kiwanis Club in Greenville.
Bob is survived by Margie, his wife of 57 years, his son and wife Bob and Solange, his son and wife Jim and Mary, his daughter and husband Elizabeth and Steve Eubanks, his daughter and husband Anne and Robert Sheaff, as well as ten grandchildren; Melissa, Daniel, Michael, Katherine, Christine, Eric, Emilie, Marc, Marjorie and George. He is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends and work colleagues. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an older brother Richard.
A memorial service will be held on July 23rd, at 10:00am at the Williams-Bergey-Koffel Funeral Home, in Telford, Pennsylvania. Bob will be buried at the George Washington Memorial Cemetery in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Daily Reflector on Jul. 19, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
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Mona McConnaughey

August 5, 2011

So sorry to hear about Bob. He was a wonderful man and will be missed. Our prayers are with you.

Mike Collins

July 25, 2011

I had not seen Bob for over a decade but was thinking about him last month when attending the Res Society on Alcoholism meeting. Back in the halcyon research days of the '70's and '80's Bob and I used to discuss various ideas about the neurochemistry of alcoholism, even sharing those mysterious "mammalian alkaloid" compounds for research. I always appreciated his positive optimism and interest in my own work. Sincere condolences to Majorie and her large family.

July 25, 2011

I was saddened to hear of Bob's passing. He was a significant force in the alcohol research field and his presence will be missed.
RA Deitrich

July 23, 2011

My wife Mina and myself met Bob and Margie in 1960 while we were both on a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of Physiology, J. Hopkins University, Baltimore. We soon became friends and helped each other within the tough environment that was the Physiology Dept. at the time. We collaborated in research and published a paper which soon became a classic (in the field of brain control of body temperature and fever). Dede was born in Baltimore and thereafter our friendship became more than just that when Bob and Margie asked us to be her God parents. Bob visited us in Santiago, Chile (where I was working at the Medical School at the time) and I visited them while they were in Purdue. We have been in close contact along the years. They visited us here in Los Angeles just a few years ago while I was a Dstinguished Professor at the UCLA School of Medicine (now, I am an Emeritus). Because of all of the above, it is easy to understand that for us it is very hard and painful to accept that Bob has passed away. We will miss him dearly, Our heartfelt and most sincere Sympathy goes to Margie and her entire family.

Jaime and Mina Villablanca

Linda Nelson

July 20, 2011

Dear Margie,
I was so sorry to hear of Bob's passing. I remember all
of the good times we had with you when we lived in Chapel
Hill, NC.
You were wonderful friends and neighbors to Don and me. I will remember you and Bob in my prayers.

Rick Myers

July 20, 2011

I am so sorry to hear of your loss, Aunt Margie. It has been many too many years since we have seen each other. Please accept my condolences, and let Bob, Jim, Elizabeth and Anne that we are thinking of you during this tough time. I know Uncle Bob will be missed.

Susie Holloman

July 20, 2011

Bob and Margie moved into their home about a month before we moved into ours across the street here in Sterling Trace almost 19 years ago. We are so saddened to hear about his passing. Margie, Albert and I are thinking of you and your family with love. You and Bob have always been so sweet and kind to our family. We pray God's peace and love fill you and keep you.

Lanette Coward Moret

July 19, 2011

I am so sorry for your loss. I worked for Dr. and Mrs. Myers for several years from 1990-1994 helping with the ALCOHOL journal and other office tasks as an undergraduate student at ECU. I learned many skills that have helped me along the way. I love them both!

Karen Wilson-Maye

July 19, 2011

Dr. Myers was the very 1st physician I worked for as medical secretary/transcriptionist fresh out of college. He was not only friendly but very patient with me. He helped me to evolve into what I have become today because of his willingness to share his knowledge and his understanding of his patients. He will be sorely missed. May the Lord give you comfort in knowing that his love and caring will live on!!

Brian McMillen

July 19, 2011

I read this with sorrow but also fondness. Bob was ever the optimist and his glass was always more than half-full. I also remember that not long after joining ECU he had a purple and gold bumper sticker on his convertible: "A bad day at ECU is better than a good day at Chapel Hill." Bob enjoyed life and shared his joy and wit with many. We will miss him.

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