Frederick Ross

Cobb, MD
Frederick R. Cobb, MD, 67, of Durham, died unexpectedly on Monday, January 30, 2006.
At the time of his death, Dr. Cobb was the Director of the Duke Program for Prevention and Treatment of Heart and Vascular Disease at the Duke Center for Living and Director of Congestive Heart Failure Clinic and Claudication Research Clinic at the Durham VA Medical Center. He received his medical degree from the University ofMississippi Medical Center, where he was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha in 1963 and received the 1964 Leathers Award for the most outstanding graduating senior. He received his training in Internal Medicine and then completed his fellowship in Cardiology at Duke University Medical Center. After serving as a Major in the US Army, he returned to Durham to join the faculty of both Duke and the Veterans Administration Medical Centers, where he remained until his death. He became Professor of Medicine in 1983, was Chief of Cardiology at the VA from 1983 to 1992, held appointments in the Departments of Radiology and Cell Biology, and directed the Duke Center for Living from 1989 to 1996.
His clinical interests included managing cardiovascular risk factors through medical and lifestyle strategies, implementing strategies to alter and monitor the progression of coronary artery disease. In this endeavor, he maintained a very active clinical program at the Center for Living and was responsible for the care of a large number of patients. His research interests were primarily involved in studies of the factors which control blood flow to the heart and blood vessel function.
Over his career, Dr. Cobb received multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the Veterans Administration to support his study of circulatory diseases including heart failure, coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease.
Fred is well remembered for his love of Duke Basketball, art, and nature. He loved watching the deer and wildlife in his yard with his granddaughter, Rozlyn. In his earlier years, he was active in the Boy Scouts achieving Eagle Scout rank and played tennis, volleyball, and basketball.
Surviving Dr. Cobb are his wife, Nancye of Durham; one son, Thomas and wife, Chris Cobb of Los Angeles, CA; two daughters, Sylvia Cobb of Charlotte, Andrea Cobb of Durham; one grandchild, Rozlyn of Charlotte; his mother, Ruby Cobb Freeman of Easley, SC; two brothers, John Cobb of Indianola, Mississippi, Jim Cobb of Greenwood, Mississippi; a sister, Melinda Cobb Hill of Cleveland, Mississippi.
Dr. Cobb was preceded in death by his father, John R. Cobb. Dr.
Cobb will be remembered by his DUPAC family and friends as well as his many patients and colleagues.
The family will receive friends 7-9 p.m. Thursday, February 2, 2006 at the Howerton-Bryan Funeral Home in Durham.
A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, February 3, 2006 in the Duke Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the following: Fred Cobb Duke Professorship in Preventative Cardiology - Attn: L. Osowski - 512 S. Mangum Street, Suite 400 - Durham, NC 27701; Duke Gardens - Attn: Jeff Yohn (668-1711 or 684-5579 Director of Development - Box 90626 - Durham, NC 27708 - Duke Pediatric Brain Tumor Center - Attn: Annette Henderson - 512 S. Mangum Street, Suite 400 - Durham, NC 27701.