Myron Robert Wilson M.D.

1932 - 2012

Myron Robert (Bob) Wilson M.D. died quietly in his sleep at his Palm Springs residence, Desertknoll on March 23, 2012 at the age of 79. Dr. Wilson is survived by two nephews, Steven and Robert Moseman of Palo Cedro, California, four grandniece/nephews, and two greatgrandneice/nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Constance and Myron Wilson of Helena, Montana and his only only sibling, a sister, Josephine Wilson (Moseman) Boyington of Fresno, California. Dr. Wilson was born in Helena, Montana on September 21, 1932. After attending public grammar and junior high schools in Helena, Dr. Wilson completed his college preparatory studies at Shattuck School in Faribault, Minnesota, graduating Cum Laude, in 1950. He pursued undergraduate studies at Stanford University, from which he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954. Thereafter he studied medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, which awarded him a Doctorate of Medicine degree in 1957. Dr. Wilson took an internship at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals in Madison from 1957-58. From 1958-1960 Dr. Wilson served on active duty as a Medical Doctor in the United States Navy. Following completion of military service in 1960, he accepted a fellowship and residency appointment at the Mayo Foundation in Rochester, Minnesota. Initially he pursued training in internal medicine, in 1962, he narrowed his specialization to psychiatry for two years, followed by sub-specialization in child and adolescent psychiatry, which he completed in 1965. Upon the completion of his fellowship training, Dr. Wilson was invited to join the staff of the Mayo Clinic with the mandate to establish a department devoted to an newly established field of Adolescent Psychiatry, including the development of the first-in-the nation hospital service for the long term treatment of adolescents suffering from (mostly) psychotic disorders. Under his direction, the Adolescent Psychiatric Unit was opened within the complex of the Rochester Methodist Hospital in 1966. Dr. Wilson served as the director of the Mayo's adolescent psychiatric service until 1971 when he left Mayo Clinic to develop a free-standing psychiatric hospital and training program for physician assistants and therapists for adolescents in Faribault, Minnesota where he initially leased and subsequently purchased St. James School campus. He named the facility "The Constance Bultman Wilson for Adolescent Psychiatry and Education" as a memorial to his late mother. Within two years following its dedication in 1972, the Wilson Center had achieved national and international recognition for excellence, with patient referrals originating from all fifty states and twelve foreign countries. By its tenth anniversary the Wilson Center had expanded to accommodate 80 patients, employed a staff of 300 plus seven psychiatrists and adolescent medicine specialists, remaining at full occupancy and staffing thereafter. In 1990 Dr. Wilson sold the Center to two senior staff members and retired to Los Angeles, California, where he continued to serve as Chairman and CEO of the Wilson Foundation, a nonprofit corporation whose mission was to "enhance the quality of life for adolescents" by awarding grants to facilities and programs for adolescents. The Foundations objective, to distribute its entire principal and earning, was achieved in 2006, when the Foundation was dissolved. Throughout his career, Dr. Wilson conducted extensive clinical research and was active in educational programs for physicians, graduate and undergraduate students. He held numerous academic appointments: Instructor in Psychiatry at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Carleton College, Northfield Minnesota and Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio; Chairman of the Faculty, Cook Institute of Psychotherapy at the Wilson Center; Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles; Consultant in Psychiatry, St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota and Shattuck School in Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Wilson's achievements were recognized by many professional societies which conferred upon him the status of "Fellow:" American Psychiatric Association; American Society for adolescent Psychiatry and the International Society for Adolescent Psychiatry, of which he was a founder and long time Treasurer. He was elected to membership in the honorary research society, Nu Sigma Nu, Mayo Foundation chapter. He was selected for membership in the American Society of St. John of Jerusalem and was promoted to Knight Commander by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II in November 2011. Dr. Wilson was a biographee since 1980 in Who's Who in the World and Who's who in America. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. Dr. Wilson relocated from Los Angeles to Palm Springs, California in 2003. A lifelong Episcopalian, Dr. Wilson served several terms as Vestryman and Treasurer and continued as a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church at 7501 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, where a Requiem Mass will be celebrated by the Rector accompanied by the Parish choir, organ, brass and tympani at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 31, 2012, with burial and graveside services following the Mass at Dr. Wilson's "Little Garden of Perpetual Love (#264)" in the "Court of Liberty" at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills. Friends of Dr. Wilson are invited to attend the Requiem Mass and Graveside services. Memorials are suggested to be directed to the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dr. Allan Reiss's research activities, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford University, California.