Never a Follower, Always Charted His Own Path
Paul “Dick” Burgess ’56
Feb. 11, 2024, in Gilbert, Arizona, of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dick was born in Logan, Utah, and grew up in Hyrum. His father, Paul, served as a leading community doctor and his mother, Alice, was a former nurse. An excellent student, Dick graduated from South Cache High School and went on to Reed, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology. He won a Rhodes Scholarship and attended Oxford University in England, where he earned another bachelor’s degree in human and animal physiology.
After completing his PhD in neurophysiology at Rockefeller Institute, Dick returned to Utah and became a professor at the University of Utah, where he conducted research and taught in the medical school for decades.
Dick was a great conversationalist. Never a follower, he always charted his own path. He is survived by his wife, Jane, and his daughters, Kim and Lisa.
Appeared in Reed magazine: Summer 2024
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