Obituary of L. Bruce Meyer

L. Bruce Meyer, M.D. July 26, 1922 - April 5, 2015 Carmel, CA - Dr. L. Bruce Meyer, age 92, passed peacefully on April 5, 2015 at his home where he and his family have lived on Carmel Point the past 60 years. His death was due to complication from heart disease and pancreatic cancer. He began his adventurous life in Shanghai, China where his father Leo W. Meyer, was in the lumber business. He later schooled in the Philippines and the San Francisco Peninsula. After graduation from Burlingame High School he received degrees from Stanford and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and completed his orthopedic training at the University of California San Francisco. World War II accelerated his tenure at Stanford, and as a Naval reservist at the time, he was assigned as a corpsman to the Long Beach Naval Hospital for a year prior to his previous acceptance to medical school at Columbia. His interest in orthopedics opened the door for him as a corpsman to be assigned as the cast technician at the hospital. Many of the veteran casualties from the World War II in the Pacific came through Long Beach Naval Hospital, and his responsibility was to do the cast work necessary. While in medical school in New York he met Margery Foote on Staten Island, and were married in June 1947. They spent 63 wonderful years together. Margery preceded him in death in 2009. They first came to Carmel in 1950 as a Naval physician at Ft. Ord prior to duty in Korea in 1950-51 as a Navy Lt. with the 1st MASH, the mobile surgical hospital positioned immediately behind the lines. After this valuable experience he returned to complete his orthopedic residency in the UCSF program. Bruce and Margery returned to Carmel in 1955 to live in the same historic home thereafter and to practice Orthopedics on the Monterey Peninsula for 40 years. During his professional career he was a member of the Medical Staff of Community Hospital, Monterey Hospital and Natividad Hospital in Salinas, being President of the Staff at both CHOMP and Monterey. He was a member of California Medical Association, Monterey County Medical Association and the American Medical Association, President of the Rocky Mountain Trauma Society, and member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery. He had a life long interest in environmental issues and was a founding member of the Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club and its first President. Other activities and groups included founding member and 2nd President of the Pacheco Club in Monterey. He was a long time member of the Pebble Beach and Tennis Club, John Gardiner's Tennis Ranch in Carmel Valley, the American Alpine Club, the Himalayan Club, the Society of California Pioneers, and others. Bruce had an avid interest in mountaineering and athletics. His climbing interest began in 1938, at the time of the pioneering days of climbing in the United States. During the following years he was involved as a young man in many ascents in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, including first ascents and new routes with his friend and mentor, David Brower, long time prominent environmentalist and conservationist. He climbed and skied throughout the world including a 1946 ascent of 17,000 foot peak Popocatépetl in Mexico, four trips to the Himalaya, the first in 1954 participating on the first attempt of Makalu, 28,000 feet, with the American Himalayan Expedition. Other significant climbs included Mt. McKinley, Alaska, 20,321 feet, in 1961, Mt. Kenya, Africa, 17,057 feet, in 1970, Mt. Blanc, France, 15,781 feet, an ascent on skis with his daughter Marguerite in 1986, and to celebrate his 70th birthday the Grand Teton, Wyoming, 13,775 feet, also with Marguerite. He and his family enjoyed wonderful trips together including a camping safari in East Africa in 1970, ski touring across the French and Swiss Alps on the Haute Route, pack trips in the Sierra and boating the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River in dories with Margery, Marguerite, son Calvin and family. Dr. Meyer took up flying at age 50 to ease travel to Sonoma County where his wife had her family home, in order to manage the Foote Ranch which occupied much of his time after retirement from medical practice. The Ranch has been in her family since 1850. Cross country flying became a prominent activity and his last cross country flight, with friend Dick Tourangeau, from Monterey, California to Massachusetts in an open cockpit bi-wing Tiger Moth airplane was a "blast", and a wonderful way to see the U.S.A. The 1991 adventure took 11 days, covering 3,500 miles, flying at an altitude of 500-1000 feet. Bruce enjoyed and appreciated his many friends and his walks on the beach with his dogs, who were his loyal companions, even in the office. Bruce is survived by his son Calvin (Taryne), of San Jose, daughter Marguerite, of Santa Cruz, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, his brother Dean, several nieces and nephews, and close friend and companion, Susan Ulrich. A Celebration of Life will be held April 26 at 3pm at the Monterey Peninsula Country Club. Contributions in Bruce's memory may be made to his favorite organizations: Community Hospital Foundation of Monterey Peninsula Hospice of the Central Coast Mills College for the "Margery Foote Meyer Endowed Scholarship" Yosemite Conservancy Earth Island Institute Sonoma Land Trust Friends of the Earth The family is most appreciative and thankful for Dr. Mike Galloway, Dr. Ben Richards, the Staff of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Hospice of the Central Coast, and Doris Ellis.