Robert Schreiber

Robert Frederic Schreiber MD 74, of Berkeley, California, died peacefully with his entire family present Tuesday, October 11, 2011, at Sutter Memorial Hospital in Sacramento. On Sunday, October 9, Bob and his wife of 44 years, Mary Lu Townley Schreiber MD, awoke in the serenity of their Sierra foothills cabin. As usual, Bob drove to his preferred jogging route. While driving home after the run, he pulled over and was found some moments later in his car, having suffered a cardiac arrest/ventricular fibrillation. Born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 10, 1937, Bob was the son of Helen Russel McMillan and Waldemar Frederic ("Baldy") Schreiber MD, a noted neurosurgeon. Raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, he graduated from Millbrook Academy, Millbrook, NY, in 1955, and then served as a private in the United States Army in Germany from 1955 to 1957. He graduated from Harvard University in 1961, and from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1965. After a surgical internship at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, he did his residency at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, where he and Mary Lu were classmates. Bob and Mary Lu moved to Berkeley in 1970. Bob graduated from the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute as a child and adult psychoanalyst in 1978. For 34 years he was in private practice of child, adolescent and adult psychiatry in Berkeley. Since then, he worked at Lincoln Child Center in Oakland, a day treatment center for severely emotionally disturbed children, and also at Redwood Place in Castro Valley, a residential treatment center for people with developmental disabilities and mental illness. Dr. Schreiber was wonderful at helping children and dealt with many very difficult cases. He served as President of the Regional Organization of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and delegate to the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and for many years participated in a study group of child and adolescent psychiatrists. Bob had wide and varied interests, including taking his friends on long hikes to hidden places in deep woods (preferably getting lost), fly fishing, canoeing, bird watching, powder skiing, playing golf, running and worldwide traveling. He loved animals and nature, and he loved people. He had an offbeat sense of humor that made people laugh out loud. He always had time to listen and had an amazing smile. Like his father, he was a skilled wood carver and furniture maker. Bob was a writer of note, and just completed a mystery story of a young boy's search for himself. As editor of the Pine River Papers, he chronicled tales of the Huron Mountain Club in Big Bay, MI, where he and six generations of his family before and after him have gone for years. Besides his wife, Bob is survived by their four children, Georgia Townley Schreiber MPH of Oakland, CA; Hugh Frederic Schreiber (Sayuri Suzuki Schreiber) of Oakland, CA; Caroline McMillan Schreiber MD (K. Franklin Hollingshead MD) of Berkeley, CA; Peter Townley Schreiber (Sonya More' Schreiber) of Oakland, CA; four grandchildren, Theo Frederic Hollingshead; Jude Schreiber Hollingshead; Maya More' Schreiber; Dillan More' Schreiber; a brother, Mayo Schreiber, Sr. of Connecticut; two sisters, Anne Schreiber Parker of Canton, MA; Doris Schreiber Willcox of Randolph, NH; and many nephews and nieces. A memorial service in celebration of his life will be held on Thursday, October 20, 2011, 1:00-5:00pm, Mira Vista Golf and Country Club, 7901 Cutting Boulevard, El Cerrito, CA 94530. Memorial contributions may be made to Obama for America 2012, 29 South LaSalle, Chicago, IL 60603, or online to www.barackobama.com/donate Bob lived life to the fullest, the way he wanted. He made each of his family and friends feel they were truly special and loved. His family all show wonderful pieces of him and will continue to make him proud. The wind in the pines of the north woods of Michigan and the waters of the South Fork of the Mokelumne River carry Bob's spirit, and now he flies with the eagles.