David Bray, Executive Dean At Harvard Medical School, 62
DGH
David Bray, a strategic planner who revitalized Harvard Medical School
during his tenure as executive dean for administration, died Sunday,
January 25, 2004, apparently of a heart attack, at the age of 62.
"David was a pioneer in bringing creative thinking as well as a very
focused business planning to this institution," said Dr. Robert Crone,
president and CEO of Harvard Medical International, a medical school
offshoot created in 1994 to respond to requests for the school's
involvement in health care initiatives around the world.
"He had an enormous impact on the development of Harvard Medical
School during the 80s and 90s," Crone said in a statement.
In addition to creating the international program, Mr. Bray oversaw a
$300 million investment in the medical school's buildings and helped
recruit new leadership in the science departments, transform the
medical curriculum, and establish a new Department of Health Care
Policy, school officials said. An auditorium in the Harvard Institutes
of Medicine is named in his honor.
Mr. Bray was regarded as an expert in the business of learning. "He
genuinely understood the academic mission of Harvard and could marry
that with the business aspect," said Crone. "When creating Harvard
Medical International, he really served as my mentor in helping me to
understand the business components."
Originally from Tahoka, Texas, Mr. Bray played high school football
and won the state debate championships. He attended Southern Methodist
University and received a scholarship from the Rotary Club to study at
Oxford University for a year. His time at Oxford inspired him to start
a career in public policy and government.
During the 1960s, Mr. Bray was a deputy associate director in the
federal Office of Management and Budget. He later worked for the
Central Intelligence Agency as the director's economic affairs
assistant.
He switched to hospital administration in 1975, working as senior
executive at University of Chicago Medical Center. He joined Harvard
in 1982.
"David Bray was simply the best academic administrator I have ever
known," Daniel C. Tosteson, a former dean of the medical school, said
in a statement.
After his 1998 retirement, Mr. Bray, a longtime Belmont resident,
moved with his wife, Louise (Hardin) to Shrewsbury, Vermont.
While officially retired, Mr. Bray served on the board of directors of
ShoreBank Corp., a bank dedicated to urban redevelopment and community
service, and as a founding member of The Giving Back Fund, an
organization that helps celebrities use their fame to raise money for
charity.
"Everyone who knew him knew he was generous," said his son, Andrew of
Brooklyn, New York. "He was constantly giving back."
Mr. Bray and his wife also indulged their desire to see the world,
traveling to India, Peru, and Mexico. The couple loved to entertain,
and Mr. Bray was known for spending all day in the kitchen cooking one
of his many favorite dishes.
"He was not letting life pass him by," said Andrew. "He was completely
passionate about everything."
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I guess that it has been something like 20 plus years since I last saw David and his wife. Today I was thinking about David, and just for the sake of it I ran a quick internet search and found a link telling me of David's Passing, so I am simply piping in share a story about him.
In fact, I only knew David for twelve days, exactly the time it takes to row the Colorado River through Grand Canyon. I was David's river guide.
At the time I was also a pre-med student at U.C.D. David came down the river with his family and their very first day on the river was spent in my boat.
Of course the usual formalities take place, the "So, where do you live?, What do you do? stuff, and we quickly got past that point and into the feel of the river. The river flowing through the Grand Canyon provides a magical setting.
David seemed to be "wide open", just pleased to experience everything and a friendship formed that resulted in Dave taking on the official position of "First Mate"on my boat, helping to load and unload and scrub and bail. 240 miles later, on the beach at separation rapid near the top of Lake Mead, and while helping me drink a whole box of wine, David had a ripple of sorrow furrow his brow. Noticing, I asked..."What's up Dave?" Dave reflected upon his peace and calm and the fact that the river trip was coming to an end. We both sat there drinking red wine sitting in the bottom of that canyon and he pointed to the wall on the other side of the river, 5,000 feet of sheer cliffs and broken terraces. I was thinking about how on the other side of that wall is my "normal" life. Out there I have a LOT of responsibilities. Honestly this trip has made me remember what is most important, and it isn't on the other side of that wall.
I thought for a moment and said "What is it that you do again David? You are in education or something like that?" and he said "Yeah, something like that", but he was being vague and I sensed it. "So Dave, are you on a school board or something?", and Dave said "Yeah something like that?" and then I really pressed hard "OK, Out with it Dave...What do you do?"
It was then that Dave reluctantly told me what he actually did for a living. And thinking back at Dave scrubbing the mud out of the diamond plate decks on my boat all I could say was "No Shit!"
I Tell this story to anyone who asks "Who was your favorite river passenger of all time?" I tell them about Dave. You will be missed my friend. A bit of your spirit will always remain in the Canyon.
