Robert L Vick

Robert Lore (Bob) Vick, died on October 13, 2020 in Houston, TX. He was born in Courtland, MS on September 1, 1929, the son of A. S. (Atheral) Vick and Gladys Monteith Vick. Bob was very proud of his middle name, Lore, which commemorates his grandmother, Carrie Emily Lore Monteith, who lived with the family for many years. Bob played basketball from first grade through high school and landed a basketball scholarship where he played first team at Southwest Mississippi Junior College in Summit, Mississippi. His sophomore year, Bob transferred to Ole Miss, The University of Mississippi, in Oxford, where he met the love of his life, Rose Ross. The fifties were a busy time for Bob: he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy at Ole Miss while working at a drug store in Batesville, Mississippi, became a licensed/registered pharmacist for the State of Mississippi in 1952, was a member of the Rho Chi pharmaceutical honor society and Kappa Psi pharmaceutical professional fraternity, had his first date with Rose on May 2, 1952, took a faculty position as an assistant professor of pharmacy at Southwestern State College in Weatherford, Oklahoma in January 1953, and married Rose on May 29, 1953. In addition to all his studies, Bob also excelled in golf, taking top honors with closet ball in the pitch and putt contest at the Oklahoma Collegiate Golf Tournament in 1953. Bob went on to earn his Master of Science degree in Pharmacology, 1954, from Ole Miss. Bob and Rose then moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Bob was awarded a research fellowship in basic science by the National Heart Institute of the U.S. Public Health Service and completed his PhD in Physiology in June 1957 from the University of Cincinnati. Their only child, Suzanne, was born in 1958, and the family moved to Syracuse, New York, where Bob was a faculty member of Syracuse University. In 1961, they moved to Houston, Texas, where Bob joined the Physiology Department of Baylor College of Medicine for the rest of his professorial career, teaching, doing research, serving on the admissions committee, and finally serving as acting Chairman of Physiology until his retirement. Bob loved and excelled at teaching, and so was motivated to author his own textbook, Contemporary Medical Physiology, Addison-Wesley Medical Division, in 1984, the process of which he found challenging, rewarding, and humbling. He worked closely with all the contributors, also active teachers of physiology, and dedicated his book to all teachers and students of physiology, and it was translated into other languages.

Bob was a voracious reader of history; avidly pursued genealogical studies; enjoyed sailing, automobiles, and crosswords; was a genius with remembering facts and trivia; and could fix, repair, improve, or build absolutely anything. As a young teen, he even wired his family’s farmhouse for electricity and went on to wire most of the neighboring farmhouses!

Bob was a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He had many, many friends and was liked and admired by all who knew him. He was a devoted fan of the Houston Astros since their days as the Colt 45s, and rarely missed a Rockets or Oilers/Texans game, either.

A memorial reception will be held at George H. Lewis Funeral Home in Houston on October 30, 2020 from 5 – 8 p.m. and in Oxford, MS on November 14, 2020 with Waller Funeral Home. Inurnment will be in Oxford, MS, where his wife and other relatives are buried. As he was the biggest Astros fan ever, we kindly request that all who attend wear their favorite Astros gear or the orange and blue colors.

An enormous thank you to his wonderful caregiver of many years, Celain Anthony, and to the physicians and nurses/staff who also provided superb care for Bob.

In addition to his daughter, Bob is survived by his grandson, Michael Liam Ryan, Michael’s fiancé, Mallory Mehaffey, and many beloved nieces and nephews and their children.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family kindly requests memorial contributions be directed to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance: 14 Pennsylvania Plaza Suite 2110, New York, NY 10122; Emerson Unitarian Universality Church, 1900 Bering Drive, Houston, TX, 77057; or a charity of one's choice.