David Campen, MD

Following a long and courageous fight against cancer, Dr. David Howard Campen, 64, of Palo Alto, CA, passed October 19, 2019, surrounded by family and loved ones. Dr. Campen graduated from University of California-berkeley in 1977 and Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans in 1983. He practiced rheumatology at Kaiser Santa Clara for 25 years and was the first physician director of Pharmacy Operations. He was involved in several important drug safety studies, including a ground-breaking study on the dangers of Vioxx which saved thousands of lives.

Dr. Dave not only had a passion for medicine, but he was also an inveterate train buff and was thrilled to drive the train at Feather River Canyon. He loved the SF 49ers, the SF and SJ Giants, movies, and musicals. Not only was Dr. Dave an incredibly personable colleague, but also a well-loved family man. He met his wife, Dr. Christine Chang, at Tulane and they have two children, Natalie and Nicholas. Dave is survived by Chris, Natalie, Nicholas, his sister, Carolyn, (Berkeley Heights, NJ) and his niece, Helen, (Rochester, NY). He was preceded by his parents.

Dave spent his last weekend at Disneyland, riding the new coasters, emblematic of the joy with which he lived his life. He was one of the good ones and will be dearly missed.

A Celebration of Life will be held in January. In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to either JW House in Santa Clara, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, or The League to Save Lake Tahoe.