Lawrence Mathers
1945-Feb. 21, 2007
San Carlos, California

Stanford University Anatomy Professor Lawrence Mathers was found dead in his San Carlos home Feb. 21. He was 62. A cause of death has not yet been determined.

Mathers was a pediatrician at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and associate director of the hospital's intensive care unit in addition to being a professor of anatomy at Stanford Medical School.

"He was considered one of the best anatomy teachers in the country and a superb physician," said Dr. Harvey Cohen, professor of pediatrics and former chief of staff at Packard Hospital.

Mathers was chief of the medical school's human anatomy division and has been associated with Stanford as a student and teacher for more than 40 years, said Dr. Philip Pizzo, dean of the medical school.

"Larry has taught generations of students human anatomy with both dignity and distinction," Pizzo said. "He has been a friend and colleague of legions of faculty and staff and has won the hearts of many through his compassion, wisdom, music, excellence and personal thoughtfulness." He won the medical school's award for outstanding teaching at least 12 times.

Mathers always paid homage to the cadavers in the dissection lab at the beginning of the anatomy course with a moment of silence to honor the people who had donated their bodies to educate future physicians.

A musician, Mathers would often play the piano in Stanford Hospital atrium, entertaining those who passed by.

"He played everything — blues, jazz, classic, swing. You name it, he could play it," said Dr. Lorry Frankel, chief of the Packard Hospital intensive care unit. A special tribute was given to Mathers the day after he died during a concert of the music of George Gerswhin at the medical school, which received a standing ovation, Frankel said.

Mathers was a native of San Francisco who graduated from Stanford with a bachelor's degree in biology in 1966. He completed his doctorate in anatomy at Stanford in 1971 and graduated from Stanford Medical School in 1982. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mil, in 2002.

Tags: teacher/educator