DR. Robert Clark Bain

Bob was delivered at Swedish on June 27, 1925, by Dr. William Bell Cook, who many years later was Bob's patient and told him, "Isn't it interesting that I delivered you in 1925 and today you saved my life."

Bob had many memories of Swedish Hospital. His medical practice was held nearby for 39-1/2 years, and he served as Chief of Staff from 1980 to 1982 - the first Chief of Staff also born at the hospital. In his last days he was thankful to be in such good medical care and many times told his medical team, "I think you do a good job." When the nurse asked him once to repeat, he said, "You're doing a pretty good job."

Bob frequently shared fond memories of his youth on Capitol Hill and the summers his family spent in rented cabins on Puget Sound in West Seattle.

His grandfather, David Bain, immigrated from Scotland in 1881 and built apartments in the Seattle area, including the Lombardy Court on Capitol Hill. Bob and his family lived memorable years there with his mother's parents next door. His games included mumbly peg, marbles and making match shooters. In 1939 his family moved to a home on Harvard Avenue designed by his father.

Bob attended Lowell Elementary School, Broadway High School and graduated from Lakeside School in 1943. He entered the US Navy V12 program for pre-med, attending Carroll College in Helena, Montana and the University of Washington, where he was a Phi Delt. After college, Bob attended Northwestern Medical School, graduating in 1950 and completing his internship at Evanston Hospital.

Bob was in a Fellowship for Residency in Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic when he was called to active duty and assigned to the Pacific Fleet in the Korean War on the amphibious command ship USS Mt. McKinley based in Japan. As medical officer, he was responsible for the health of 900 sailors on board and often recalled the emergency appendectomy he performed. The captain turned the ship into the waves for a smoother ride and eventually yelled down, "Are you done yet? I need to put the ship back on course." He finished his service at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, California.

Upon returning to the Mayo Clinic, Bob met Diane Berryman, a TV talk show host for KROC TV. They married in July of 1956 and moved to Seattle.

Bob started his practice with Bannick, Soderstrom & Macrae. In the early years, before 911, he made house calls. When ambulances became common, the patients were taken to the hospital. Bob wore a beeper that notified him when a patient was headed there. Many weekend outings were cut short when he received a beep. The family would rush to Swedish together, and while Bob attended to the patient, the family drank chicken soup from a vending machine in the Doctor's Lounge and gazed at prints of medical art.

He became a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, was active in the North Pacific Medical Society and attended many Mayo Alumni meetings.

When Bob retired, he missed his patients but not the paperwork. He continued at UW Medical School as an adjunct faculty member. He also audited classes, volunteered as medical expert for Social Security claims and attended summer school at Cambridge University, studying British History. He continued attending Swedish and UW Medical Center lectures throughout his retirement.

Bob was understated, mild mannered and soft-spoken with an astute, upbeat and self-effacing sense of humor - though seldom the life of the party, he always brought life to the party. On the last morning he asked, "Are the Huskies playing today?" When told they were playing Stanford, he said, "They're going to have a tough time." That same morning when the daughter by his side told him his grandson was reading Kipling's, "Gunga Din" (a poem Bob would often recite), Bob said, "Tell him he should see the movie." Asked which was better, the poem or the movie, he paused for a moment, then with a wry, self-deprecating chuckle said, "The poem."

Bob was predeceased by his wife of sixty years, Diane Berryman Bain. He is survived by his three children, Robert Clark Bain, Jr (Tina) of Edina, Minnesota, Brodie Bain (Todd Lee) of Seattle and Dana Bain (Rick Davis) of Los Angeles, along with eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is also survived by his beloved siblings, William Bain (Nancy) and Nancy Lowry (Ted).

A memorial to honor Bob's life will be held at 2:00 pm, December 8, 2018, at Mirabella Seattle, 116 Fairview Avenue North.

Memorial donations may be made to: Swedish Medical Center Foundation, 747 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122, or to www.swedishfoundation.org.