Robert W. Wallach

Robert W. Wallach

On March 8, 2016, after a nearly four-year battle with pancreatic cancer, Dr. Robert Wallach died at his home surrounded by family and friends.

Bob was born in July 1947, in New Rochelle, NY. He was the son of Dr. Robert T. Wallach, a family practice physician, and Florence Wallach (née Noden), a registered nurse. Bob graduated from Kenyon College in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science and received his MD from SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY in 1973. Bob completed his training with a residency in internal medicine and an additional year as a chief resident at Upstate Medical Center.

Dr. Wallach relocated to Seattle in 1977, having fallen in love with the woods, mountains, and waters of the Pacific Northwest. He joined the cardiology department at Group Health Cooperative Hospital that year and practiced there until his retirement in 2010.

Bob cared deeply about his work as a physician, but he was also passionate about his hobbies. He was an avid builder, hiker, camper, boater, reader, and above all, aviator. Bob flew gliders for most of his adult life and always found both adventure and peace while aloft in his sailplane. He earned the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Diamond badge in 1986. He placed first in the 1997 Soaring Society of America's Region 8 competition, and placed 2nd and 3rd several times afterwards. He began building a Van's RV-7 aircraft in his garage and finished it in what became his home away from home, his clubhouse and hangar, at Auburn Municipal Airport.

Bob also loved to travel. He walked the El Camino de Santiago trail in Spain twice. He studied Spanish in Oaxaca, Mexico. He especially loved Vietnam, making several trips to the Hue Hospital, where he brought supplies and trained physicians as part of an exchange with Group Health Cooperative. Bob didn't stop traveling even after his diagnosis. In the past few years, he visited Amsterdam, Cuba, and Alaska, among others.

Bob attacked everything he did with enormous gusto, intensity, and determination. He loved life more than anyone we've ever known.

Bob is predeceased by his parents and his sister Ann Radabaugh. He is survived by his three children, Rebecca Wallach (Julie), John Wallach, and Jake Wallach, his sister, Stephanie Wallach, his niece, Kate Radabaugh, his nephew, Tommy Wallach, and former spouses Julie Vergeront and Toni Foster.

A celebration of Dr. Wallach is to be held at the Graham Visitor Center in the Arboretum on April 16, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations in memory of Bob can be made to Northwest Harvest or the Nature Conservancy.