Richard Janeway M.D.

1933 - 2019

Richard Janeway, M.D.

1933 - 2019

Winston-Salem

Richard Janeway, M.D. died in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on March 17, 2019 after a long illness. He was born in Los Angeles, California on February 12, 1933 to parents Grace Eleanor Bell and Van Zandt Janeway. He became a child actor when he was six months old, and by the time he was seven years old, he had appeared in nearly 70 films, including the series The Little Rascals. He spent his formative high school years in Merchantville, New Jersey. A scholar athlete who was the New Jersey state champion swimmer in the butterfly stroke, he earned a National War Memorial Scholarship to Colgate University and graduated magna cum laude in 1954 and was Phi Beta Kappa. He then entered the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and was awarded membership in Alpha Omega Alpha. While in medical school, he met the love of his life and fellow medical student, Katherine Esmond Pillsbury, who died in 2010. Their 54-year marriage yielded three children, eight grandchildren, and one great grandchild. After serving as a flight surgeon and captain in the United States Air Force for five years in England, Dr. Janeway was recruited by fellow neurologist Dr. James F. Toole in 1966 to join the faculty of Bowman Gray School of Medicine, now known as Wake Forest School of Medicine. Prior to his being appointed Dean in 1972, he and Dr. Toole conducted ground-breaking research on the carotid artery and stroke. Dr. Janeway's Wake Forest University career included many years as Professor of Neurology and one year as Acting Chairman of the Department of Neurology, 23 years as Dean, seven years as Vice President for Health Affairs, and seven years as Executive Vice President for Health Affairs. Under Dr. Janeway's leadership, the medical school's faculty increased from 197 to more than 700 and from 569 staff employees to more than 2,300. With North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center became the leading employer in Forsyth County. The student body grew from 290 medical students and 55 graduate students in 1971 to more than 600 students in the health sciences during Dr. Janeway's tenure. Dr. Janeway also led the largest expansion program in the history of the medical center. That $200 million program, called the Equation for Progress, included construction of a 15-story patient tower, the 12-story Clinical Sciences Building, which bears his name, a six-story addition to the Hanes Research Building, and the J. Paul Sticht Center on Aging and Rehabilitation. He also laid the foundation for the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter - a 200-acre, mixed-use center in downtown Winston-Salem focusing on the biomedical and material sciences and information technology fields. In 2000, he received the Wake Forest University Medallion of Merit, the university's highest honor. Wake Forest President Thomas K. Hearn Jr. at that time noted that Dr. Janeway "led the school through a period of unprecedented growth and improvement in its educational offerings, clinical services and research programs." In 2016, the medical center established the endowed Richard Janeway, M.D. Professorship for the Northwest Area Health Education Center. His many awards and achievements include Diplomate American Board Psychiatry and Neurology, member of the Institute of Medicine, Recipient fellow - United States Public Health Service, John and Mary R. Markle Scholar in Academic Medicine, and Maroon citation from Colgate University, where he served as a trustee. He served as chairman of the Association of American Medical Colleges and chairman of its Council of Deans, in addition to his service on numerous AAMC committees. Dr. Janeway was a founding director of Forsyth Bank & Trust Company, which became Southern National Bank of North Carolina and later BB&T. Dr. Janeway held numerous leadership positions in Winston-Salem, including Forsyth County School board member, campaign chairman and chairman of the board of directors of the Forsyth County United Way, and chairman of the Winston-Salem Foundation Committee. He was a founding member of the board of directors of Leadership Winston-Salem as well as the New Winston Museum. A 50-year parishioner of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and active in the North Carolina diocese under Bishop Curry, he also served on the board of Senior Services and Old Town Club. He is predeceased by his brother Van Zandt Janeway, Jr. He is survived by his children Susan Janeway Moll (Steve) of Nashville, TN, David vanZandt Janeway (Beth) of Winston-Salem, Elizabeth Janeway Hallyburton (Robert) of Durham, NC, and his grandchildren John Elliott Moll, Katherine Ellison Janeway, Alexander vanZandt Janeway, Claire Moll Juneau (Dan), Richard McDowell Janeway, Robert Spencer Hallyburton, Jr., Richard Scott Hallyburton, Julianna Grace Hallyburton, Zachary Douglas Fulton, and Noah Isaac James Fulton, and his great grandson Grayson Alexander Juneau. He is also survived by his second wife Nancy Harper Janeway and her son Robert Chadwick Adams Harper. The family extends heartfelt thanks to Felix Hairston and his devoted Hairston Home Care staff and to the skilled and compassionate staff of Arbor Acres. The family also thanks his long-time friends and colleagues, his loyal assistant Nancy Cox, and his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Suzanne and David Chamberlain Pillsbury and Cora Sue and Donald Marion Pillsbury, Jr. who buoyed Dr. Janeway in his final years. A service in celebration of Richard Janeway's life will be held Friday, March 22 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 520 Summit Street, with a visitation to follow in The Colhoun Room. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Richard Janeway, M.D. Scholarship Fund, Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Relations, Wake Forest Baptist Health, PO Box 571021, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1021, or to a charity of your choice. Online condolences may be made through www.salemfh.com