Bobby R. Alford M.D.

Bobby Ray Alford, M.D., passed away on Tuesday, the 20th of February 2018. In the course of a courageous struggle with diffuse Lewy body disease, he succumbed to pneumonia developed after a hip fracture. Bobby was born on the 30th of May 1932, in Dallas, Texas to Bryant Johnny and Edith Marie Garrett Alford. He graduated cum laude from Tyler Junior College, attended the University of Texas at Austin, and earned his M.D. with Honor from Baylor College of Medicine. Bobby completed his internship and residency at Jefferson Davis Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He then completed a fellowship in otology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas and was an NIH special fellow in neurophysiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Bobby was board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology in 1962.

Bobby joined the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine in 1962. For more than 40 years, he served as professor and chairman of the department that now bears his name, the Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Bobby also served as chief of the otolaryngology services at Houston Methodist, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Harris County Hospital District, and Texas Children’s Hospital. During his tenure at Baylor College of Medicine, Bobby was executive vice president and dean of medicine, distinguished service professor, program director of the otolaryngology residency training program, and held the Olga Keith Wiess Chair of Otorhinolaryngology and Communicative Sciences and the Friedkin Chair for Research in Sensory System Integration and Space Medicine. His leadership extended to numerous academic, medical, scientific, professional, and philanthropic organizations, including the Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation, the Diana Helis Henry and Adrienne Helis Malvin Medical Research Foundations, the John S. Dunn Foundation, and the DeBakey Medical Foundation. Bobby also served as interim chairman of the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery after Dr. DeBakey’s retirement. From 1997 to 2017, he was chairman of the board of directors of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute in Houston, Texas, during which time he also served 14 years as chief executive officer. From 2004 to 2010, he was chancellor of Baylor College of Medicine.

A consummate academic physician, Bobby was a skilled surgeon, talented teacher, and successful researcher. He pioneered many innovative treatments and procedures that remain a standard in otolaryngology today. During his career, Bobby trained hundreds of young physicians and researchers who have gone on to successful and impactful careers throughout the United States and around the world. He published more than 170 articles, chapters and books, and delivered countless lectures and presentations. Bobby served as chief editor of Archives of Otolaryngology, was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and was president of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, the American Board of Otolaryngology, and the American Council of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. He was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars, and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. He received the Association of Operating Room Nurses of Greater Houston Distinguished Surgeon Award, the Baylor College of Medicine Distinguished Alumnus and Lifetime Achievement Awards, the Ben and Margaret Love Foundation Bobby Alford Award for Academic Clinical Professionalism, presidential citations from the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, the American Society for Head and Neck Surgery, and the Triological Society, the NSBRI Pioneer Award, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Jeffries Aerospace Medicine and Life Sciences Research Award, and the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal. In 2012, Baylor College of Medicine established the Bobby R. Alford, M.D. Educational Center in his honor.

Bobby had an unwavering commitment to excellence. He was devoted to his patients, cherished time spent with colleagues, students, residents and fellows, and delighted in the ongoing success of those with whom he was connected.

Bobby was an avid outdoorsman and yachtsman, enjoying many years sailing on Galveston Bay. An accomplished sailboat racer, he competed in many different classes of boats, including Ensigns and Solings. Bobby spent his later years cruising and motorboating along the Texas coast. His love for the outdoors and competitive sailing was passed on to all three of his children. After being a member at the Houston Yacht Club for many years, Bobby joined Texas Corinthian Yacht Club and later Lakewood Yacht Club, serving terms as fleet surgeon at both clubs. In 2007, Texas Corinthian Yacht Club bestowed the recognition of Honorary Commodore on Bobby for his years of distinguished service to the club.

Bobby was devoted to his family and many close friends. Bobby was preceded in death by his parents Bryant Johnny and Edith Marie Garrett Alford, and his sister Patsy Alford Scott and brother-in-law Dr. Daniel E. Scott. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 64 years, Othelia, his children Brad (Donna Baker), Raye and Scott (Tommie Divine) Alford, his grandchildren Brice, Savannah and Linleigh Alford, his nieces Debbie Lane, Pam (Bill) Shown and Holly (Lee) Francois, his grandnieces Jordan (Trevor) Pounds, Taylor (Ross) Bolen, Cody Shown and Sydney Roland, his grandnephew Will Shown, and his great grandniece Avery Pounds.

The family thanks Dr. Donald T. Donovan and the physicians, nurses and staff at Houston Methodist for their devotion and care during this difficult period, including Dr. Joseph C. Masdeu, Dr. James E. Muntz, Dr. Albert E. Raizner, and Debbi Cotie, R.N. The family also thanks Maria Contreras and all the caregivers from Uptown Homecare for their dedicated and compassionate care.

A memorial service in celebration of Bobby’s life is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday, the 4th of March, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent grand foyer.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in honor of Dr. Bobby R. Alford may be made to the Allbritton – Alford Endowment Fund for Otolaryngology at Baylor College of Medicine (c/o Baylor College of Medicine, Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Relations, MSC #800, PO Box 4976, Houston, TX 77210-4976 (www.bcm.edu/giving); the Bobby R. Alford Endowed Research Grant of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, c/o AAO-HNS Foundation, Attn: Development Department, 1650 Diagonal Road, Alexandria, VA 22314 (www.entnet.org/content/foundation); or the Nantz National Alzheimer Center at Houston Methodist, c/o Nantz Friends, PO Box 4384 Houston, TX 77210-4384 (www.houstonmethodist.org/giving/).