Neil Schimke - LHS Class of 1953

Robert Neil Schimke MD, 81, passed away peacefully at home on the 28th of April, 2016. He was born in Leavenworth, Kansas on January 14, 1935 to parents Elmer and Nellie (Stucker) Schimke. 
Neil was a Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics with expertise both as a Clinical Geneticist and Endocrinologist at the University of Kansas Medical Center for over 40 years with over 180 medical publications on topics as broad as cancer, birth defects, endocrinology, heart disease, kidney disease, connective tissue conditions, and developmental delay. His patients, students, and colleagues at the Medical Center benefited from his vast knowledge, research, writings, and enthusiastic teaching. 
He was a native of Kansas, and earned both his Bachelor and Medical Degree from the University of Kansas in 1957 and 1962. After completing his undergraduate degree, he studied Theoretical Organic Chemistry in Bonn, Germany as a Fulbright Scholar, and later studied Mammalian Genetics at the Jackson Memorial Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. He was in the first group of physicians to complete a Fellowship in the Human Genetics Department at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, under the esteemed Dr. Victor A. McKusick (generally considered the Father of Clinical Genetics). 
He returned to Kansas and served five years as Vice Chairman and Chief of Medicine at the Kansas City Veterans Administration Hospital (1972-76). He was one of the earliest to recognize the important role of genetics in cancer; his 1977 book Genetics and Cancer in Man was written while he was on sabbatical as a visiting professor in the Department of Human Genetics at the University Of Edinburgh, Scotland. 
He served as the Director of the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Genetics for 23 years (1977–2000) at the KU Medical Center. 
In 1967, he described a new condition, CRST syndrome (a connective tissue disease associated with scleroderma).  Schimke Syndrome, as well as the ‘Schimke type’ of other conditions are named for him in OMIM (online Mendelian Inheritance in Man). 
He authored some of the first books available on clinical genetics and endocrinology, genetic disorders of human sexual development, as well as many book chapters on thyroid disease, metabolic genetic conditions, kidney disorders, and genetic cancer syndromes. 
Neil's enjoyment in sharing his expertise in academic medicine and teaching was recognized through the many awards he received including excellence in teaching awards, distinguished alumni recognition, the Ruth Bohan Teaching Professorship Award, and Chancellors Club Teaching Professorship. 
His long distinguished career is an honor to the University of Kansas Medical Center as well as the State of Kansas. His charm, wit, and intellect will be missed by all his colleagues, friends, and family. 
Neil is survived by his wife, Loretta (Liberty), of 57 years of marriage. His sons Douglas (Regina), Kevin (Joy), both of Leavenworth, KS and Todd (Pamela) of De Soto, KS. They have 6 grandchildren, Anthony & Heather (Derek), Chad (Morgan), Cora, Connor, Colton and 3 greatgrandchildren. 
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to KU Endowment, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, MS 3012, Kansas City, KS 66160. Online contributions may be made at www.kuendowment.org/give. Please indicate that donations are for the “R. Neil Schimke memorial." Or, the ACMG Foundation Fund www.acmgfoundation.org.