Dr. Robert Orr

1941 - 2021

Dr. Robert Orr, age 80, of Burlington, Vermont, passed away peacefully at the McClure-Miller Respite House on May 20, 2021 after a five-year battle with cancer. He was born, the youngest of four children, on March 16, 1941 to Nina (Bell) and Willard Orr in Mooers, NY. After graduating from Mooers High School, he attended Houghton College (Houghton, NY) graduating cum laude. While at Houghton he met Joyce Wirick and they married in her home church in Brighton, MI in 1962. They then moved to Montreal, PQ where he studied at McGill University Faculty of Medicine, earning the MD, CM in 1966. Bob joined the US Navy, where he did his internship (US Naval Hospital, Bethesda, MD) and family medicine residency (US Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, FL) before serving for two years as a general medical officer at the US Naval Hospital, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, leaving the service as a Lieutenant Commander.

After his military service, he and Joyce and their three children moved to Brattleboro, VT where he practiced family medicine for 18 years. During those years he and Joyce were active in their community and their church. He served in many roles on the medical staff of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital including establishing BMH's first ethics committee. He also helped establish the Brattleboro Area Hospice, serving as its first president and volunteer medical director. He was a long-time advocate for compassionate care of vulnerable individuals, including the unborn, people with disabilities, and those at the end of life. His interest in life and death issues led him to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship at the Maclean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago (1989-90).

After completing his postdoctoral studies, he served for 25 years in various professional roles including Professor of Medical Ethics and Director of Clinical Ethics at Loma Linda University Medical Center (CA); Professor of Family Medicine and Director of Clinical Ethics at the University of Vermont College of Medicine (VT); Professor of Bioethics at Trinity International University (IL); and Professor of Bioethics at Union University Graduate School (NY). He greatly enjoyed assisting patients and families as they worked through difficult choices and teaching ethics to students at all levels, and subsequently offering counsel as they pursued their chosen career pathways.

Bob received numerous awards including Vermont Family Doctor of the Year, the American Medical Association's Isaac Hayes and John Bell Award for Leadership in Medical Ethics and Professionalism, Who's Who in America, and the Servant of Christ Award (Christian Medical and Dental Associations). He lectured widely throughout the US and in more than 20 countries.

Bob enjoyed writing. In addition to having authored, co-authored, or edited 6 books (including Medical Ethics and the Faith Factor), 15 book chapters, and scores of articles in professional journals and non-professional magazines, he entertained family and friends with periodic "News from Vermont" newsletters.

An authentic Christian, Bob served in leadership and teaching roles in many of the churches he and his family attended over the years. He was influenced by the writings of C.S. Lewis and identified as what Lewis termed a "mere Christian".

He enjoyed classical music, hammocks, reading, burgers & fries, Joyce's baking(!), British TV comedies, skiing, sunsets, Caribbean vacations, tapioca pudding, exploring the English countryside, traveling, and many, many other experiences that he and Joyce were blessed to share.

Bob is survived by his Joyce, his wife of 59 years, their children Shirley (Greenville, NC), Ron (West Dover, VT), and Robin and her partner Klaus (Colchester, VT); a sister Helen (Orr Rawski) Hinderliter (New Wilmington, PA); sisters in law Beanie Perkins and Dian Wirick; numerous nieces and nephews; and the families of cherished friends Paula and Dale Walker and Bob and Pam Macauley. He was predeceased by his parents, his sister Janet, his brother Bill, and their spouses.

Bob's family would like to thank Drs. Steven Ades, James Wallace, Gene Moore, and Zail Berry along with the outstanding staff at the McClure-Miller Respite House for their expert and compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, Bob asked that friends consider donations to either the McClure-Miller Respite House in Colchester, VT or the Robert Orr Memorial Fund at Community Lutheran Church in South Burlington, VT.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 27, at 11:00 at the Community Lutheran Church, 1560 Williston Road in South Burlington. A remembrance service will be held at a later date when COVID restrictions will allow family and friends to travel from out of state and from Canada. For details, send an e-mail to RememberingBobOrr@gmail.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of the Cremations Society of Chittenden County a division of the Ready Funeral Home 261 Shelburne Rd., in Burlington. Please visit www.cremationsocietycc.com to place on-line condolences.