Dr. Dean R. Goplerud

1929 - 2022

GOPLERUD, Dr. Dean R., 1929 to October 11, 2022, in Richmond, Va., age 93. Dr. Goplerud was Professor of Ob/Gyn, a surgeon and Chief of Gynecological Oncology at VCU Medical Center for many years. Healthy and active despite his years, he died unexpectedly from acute dissection of an aortic aneurysm.

Dean was born in Osage, Iowa, 1929, in a farmhouse without indoor plumbing or electricity. Formal education from first through eighth grade was in a one room schoolhouse adjoining the family farm. He then attended Osage High School and graduated as class valedictorian.

His education continued at St. Olaf College, where he majored in Chemistry and Biology. With encouragement from his Chemistry Professor, he applied to medical school, receiving his M.D. from the University of Iowa in 1955. After internship at Ancker Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., he served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corp from 1956 to 1958. Following honorable discharge, he returned to the University of Iowa for a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology (1958 to 1961). He then joined the faculty of the University of West Virginia College of Medicine as Assistant Professor from 1961 to 1966. Interest in advanced treatment of gynecologic cancers prompted his move for fellowship training at Roswell Park Memorial Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., as an Associate Research Gynecologist (1966 to 1970). He then served as Interim Chair of the Dept. of Ob/Gyn for SUNY Buffalo from 1970 to 1972. In 1973 he was recruited by Dr. Leo Dunn to MCV/VCU as Associate Professor and Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, becoming Professor in 1980 and retiring in 1989. He loved his academic career of surgery, bedside teaching, medical education and teamwork with Pathology, Radiation and Medical Oncology on advanced cancer care. The Ware-Dunn Society sponsors a Goplerud lecture in Gyn. Oncology at their annual meeting in his honor. During retirement, he was a regular volunteer in the library of the Massey Cancer Center. Other volunteer activities included gardening at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and mentoring as a "science buddy" at Woodville Elementary School.

Dean married Shirley Larson in 1952. Their 70th wedding anniversary was in June 2022. Longtime members of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, they were also supporters of the Richmond Symphony and joined the Westminster-Canterbury community in 2009. Dean is survived by wife, Shirley; and their three children, Dr. Jan Goplerud (Jamie Stuart), Christopher (Traci) and Timothy (Amy); and granddaughter Natalie Stuart. Funeral service will be February 23, 2023, at 1 p.m. at Westminster-Canterbury Richmond. Please arrive 30 minutes early to allow for parking. Burial will be private. Donations to Planned Parenthood, Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, or Westminster-Canterbury Foundation in lieu of flowers.