John Sargent

1939 - 2020

John Aaron Sargent
August 2, 1939 – December 4, 2020
John Aaron Sargent passed away in Orinda, California on December 4, 2020 in the loving embrace of his wife and three children. Celebrated professionally in the dialysis field and admired among his friends and family for his zest for life, John's journey was characterized by his value for human connection.
John was born August 2, 1939 in San Francisco, a 4th generation San Franciscan. John grew up in Palo Alto, California, playing in hay bales in the open fields. In 1957, John graduated from Palo Alto High School and from Cornell University's Chemical Engineering School in 1962. He added a Masters from Cornell in 1967, and a PhD from UC Berkeley's Mechanical Engineering School in 1976. In between, he spent two years as a US Naval engineering officer, and a year studying French in Besançon, France that sparked a lifelong love for French culture.
John's 50-year career in kidney disease research helped improve the quality of life for tens of thousands of people. His early work at Dow Chemical was pivotal in creating the first functional hollow fiber dialyzer, a revolutionary step in dialysis and the achievement John remained most proud of. With Dr. Frank A. Gotch, John developed the normalized treatment ratio (Kt/V) - still the standard in guiding dialysis therapy. He ran his company Quantitative Medical Systems (co-founded with George Trezek, PhD) for nearly 40 years, offering applied mathematics and reimbursement services to the dialysis field. In retirement, he and Dr. John Gennari analyzed acid-base management in dialysis patients, conducting studies into 2020.
John was known for his incredible cooking, his avid skiing, creating epic scavenger hunts and minutely organized road trips, weeping with laughter as he read Pooh stories, celebrations of Beethoven's birthday, and traversing the globe to witness solar eclipses - including a village in Alsace, France where he and his wife Laurie returned frequently and became beloved members of the community. He loved parties with long guest lists, reflective conversation after a theater show, colorful tablecloths, and Yosemite in the spring – where he and Laurie celebrated their anniversary annually. A consummate scientist, he had an optimistic outlook on the challenges of life and believed that it was the people around you that make it all worthwhile.
John is survived by his wife Laurie (of 49 years); his three children, Jennifer, Andrew (Meredith), and Patrick (Sophia); and his grandchildren Harrison, Oliver, Rowan, Athena, and Luca - who knew him as "Pipa". He was the brother of Janice Lamphier and William K. Sargent, the cousin of Wallace Rich, and was held dear by many more family members and beloved friends. In this time of need, donations in John's memory can be made to Monument Crisis Center (Concord, CA) or a food bank of your choice.