Dorothee Perloff M.D.

Dorothee Leppmann Perloff M.D.

Died unexpectedly on November 2, 2014, a day before her 86th birthday.
Dorothee spread joy among family and friends with her zest for life. She beautified the world through the gardens she planted and the sweaters she knit. Her life was devoted to helping people, and the world is a better place for her efforts.
Dorothee was born in Waldheim, Germany in 1928, the daughter of physician, Marianne Hempel Leppmann and engineer, Joachim Leppmann. Her grandmother, Olga Hempel, was one of the first women physicians in Germany. The family, with great foresight, moved to Persia in 1934 before World War II. Dorothee and her sister Susanne attended the American Community School in Tehran. Dorothee fell in love with Persia's natural beauty and culture. After the war, she and her sister traveled alone, overland and by ship to England where they attended the Oxford High School for Girls. They later joined their parents in the United States to begin a new life.
Dorothee attended Oberlin College and then studied medicine at Harvard Medical School where she graduated Cum Laude in the class of 1954. She married classmate Freeland Barbour who died one year later. She began her medical career at Philadelphia General and completed her residency and a two-year cardiology fellowship at UC San Francisco.
Dorothee and Phillip Perloff M.D. were married in 1958 and settled in Marin. In 1963, with children Erika and Richard, the young family spent a year living in Peru as physician volunteers with Project Hope. On their return, the Perloffs moved to Strawberry, Mill Valley where they have lived for nearly 50 years.
Dorothee worked at UCSF for 38 years, serving as Clinical Professor of Medicine and Director of the Hypertension Clinic. She did pioneering research in ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, wrote seminal papers about "white coat" hypertension and was a guest lecturer at cardiology conferences around the world. She was active in many professional groups and served as the president of the SF Chapter of the American Heart Association. After retiring from UCSF, Dorothee continued working with patients and running clinics. She was beloved by her patients and a role model to young doctors, especially women.
Dorothee led a rich and varied life with a wide circle of friends and family with whom she cooked, skied, hiked the trails of Marin and the Sierra and travelled the world. She spoke multiple languages, read constantly, and enjoyed classical music. She was a fantastic gardener, amateur botanist, ceramicist, supporter of the arts, knitter extraordinaire, ardent environmentalist and was active in political causes.
Despite a debilitating stroke in 2001, Dorothee never stopped loving life. She attended local reading and discussion groups and enjoyed the Accessibility programs of College of Marin. She made new friends wherever she went, believing everyone has a story to tell. She was loved by many, many people.
Dorothee is survived by her beloved husband of 56 years, Phillip Perloff M.D., her sister Susanne Bessac, her son Richard Perloff and daughter-in-law Gosia Mudy Perloff, her daughter Erika Perloff and son-in-law Paul Keel, her grandchildren Dylan and Marianna Keel and many nieces, nephews and cousins. The family is especially grateful to her wonderful friend, companion and caregiver Halehignano Vailea.
A celebration of Dorothee's life will take place at the Mill Valley Community Center on January 11, 2015 at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent in her name to College of Marin, noting Adaptive PE Services.