David Lee Page

Died: October 17, 2019

David Lee Page was born in New York City to Dr. Robert C. Page and Constance Page, but his life took an international turn when the family moved to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia for his father’s position as a Public Health Officer when he was seven. Dave joined us from the Sr. Staff School in Dhahran and Andover.

His major was Russian History but as his father’s work was his inspiration, he also completed pre-med qualifications, to go on to his life’s profession and love as a pathologist.

A resident of Silliman he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta, the Political Union, and on the Banner board, which he chaired in his senior year. Dave was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. For our 50th Class book he said: “I am always grateful that I had a liberal arts education…where I learned style and grace before entering medicine.”

Dave earned his MD with Honors from Johns Hopkins, with a special focus on breast cancer. That was followed by a stint with the Marines and residencies at Vanderbilt and Massachusetts General Hospital, before settling, in 1973, into a distinguished career at the University Medical Center at Vanderbilt.

Among his many awards, publications, panels and seven professional membership chairs, Dave was awarded the Susan G. Komen Foundation Scientific Award of Distinction for Medical Research in 1999.

His wife of 56 years, Lauren Porkorny (Vassar ’62) had recently predeceased him; they were married shortly after their graduations. Dave’s medical heritage is carried forward by his son Robert, who is a dermatopathologist, and Dave’s liberal arts interests by his daughter Emily (Page) Pierre, as Director of Intensive English. Dave was survived by granddaughters Elizabeth and Rebecca Page, as well.

 
— John D. Hatch III