June 17, 1930 – November 30, 2017       Resident of Los Altos

Bruce L. Robison passed this world unexpectedly on Thursday, November 30. 

Bruce was born on June 17, 1930 at the 48-bed, three-story frame building Palo Alto Hospital. He attended middle and high school in Palo Alto, graduating from Paly High in 1949. After marrying his high school classmate, Arline Hamlett, Bruce received his bachelors from Stanford in 1953. He completed medical school and his orthopedic residency at UCLA, moving back to Mountain View with Arline and his children Linda, Cheri, and Bill in 1962. A skilled surgeon, Bruce took time to both educate and to treat generations of patients during his thirty-year practice on Welch Road at Stanford. He married Betty McIntyre in 1966 and welcomed two more daughters, Heidi and Hillary. After retiring from private practice, he became a Stanford clinical instructor of orthopedics with the Veterans Administration, then continued working at the Santa Cruz Free Clinic until 2013. Medicine was his avocation and he treated and advised countless family members and friends until the final days of his life. 

One of Bruce's great loves was skiing, a passion that began with high jinx and high school friends at Badger Pass ski area in the 1940's, an era of lace up boots, bear trap bindings, screwed in ski edges and soggy wool clothing. He shared this passion with all of his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and numerous friends over a period of seventy years. Never shy to adventure, he enjoyed white-water rafting, go cart racing, wind surfing, water skiing and inverted roller coasters - all while in his eighties. All who knew him found his enthusiasm and passion for all life had to offer infectious. Above all, family was the bedrock of Bruce's life; his reservoir of love was enormous and his ability to make each individual feel special was a gift. He is survived by his wife of fifty-one years, Betty; his children Linda, Cheri, Bill, Heidi and Hillary; eleven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. His presence will be missed by many.


View the online memorial for Bruce L. Robison M.D.

Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on Dec. 16, 2017