Roberts Elgin Orcutt, M.D.

July 19, 1925-December 29, 2018

Roberts Elgin Orcutt died peacefully on December 29, from heart failure, in San Geronimo, California, in his home that he loved dearly. His daughter Nancy was with him when he died, and a few days earlier, on Christmas, his entire family was with him for dinner, and proper goodbyes were said.

Elgin, was born in Oakland to Walter and Muriel Roberts Orcutt. He attended public schools and graduated from University High in 1943. He promptly enrolled at UC Berkeley, and in the Naval Reserve. On July 1,1943, he was called to active duty in the Navy V-12 program, and remained at U.C. on active duty until he received his Bachelors degree in June of 1945. After a short assignment as a hospital corpsman at the Oakland Naval hospital, he was sent to U.C. Medical School in San Francisco. He received his M.D. in June 1949.

Elgin married his high school sweetheart Katherine Willoughby in 1946. She predeceased him in 1997. They had four children.

His post-doctoral residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology took the couple to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD from 1951 to 1956. The Korean War interrupted his residency for 21 months, as he served as a captain in the Air Force.

Elgin returned to San Francisco in 1956 to teach in the OB-GYN department at UCSF. In the early 1960’s he was assigned to head the department of OB-GYN at San Francisco General Hospital. Distressed by the lack of support for Family Planning services by city government, he campaigned successfully to convince the mayor and city supervisors of the need. As a result, birth control services became available for the first time at San Francisco city hospitals and clinics, in 1964.

His interest in family planning medicine continued, and he served as the first president of San Francisco Planned Parenthood, and was on the national medical advisory committee of Planned Parenthood.

He was recognized by his colleagues, who elected him President of the San Francisco Gynecological Society and President of the Association of Clinical Faculty at UCSF. He was also a member of the Pacific Coast Obstetrical and Gynecological Society.

After leaving the full time faculty at UCSF in 1964, he established a private practice across from the University hospital, utilizing the facilities at UCSF, Children’s hospital and R.K. Davies Medical Center.

An avid skier and backpacker, he retired from active medical practice in 1984. He volunteered as a physician in the Indian Health Service. He and Katherine traveled extensively and had many wonderful trips in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

After Katherine’s death in 1997, he married Rose Reardon in 1997 and they were married for 17 years until she passed away earlier this year.

Elgin is survived by his son Bruce (Diane) of Moraga, daughter Nancy of San Francisco, son Douglas of Laganitus, Grandson Matt of Kenya, Granddaughter Sophia Baxley (Justin) of Pleasant Hill, and Great Grandsons Ben, Blake, and Alden Baxley of Pleasant Hill. Elgin’s daughter Cameron predeceased him in 2012.

The Orcutt family would like to thank Elgin’s caregivers, Kelly Oxenhorn and Judy Barr, for taking such loving care of him over the last few years. Hospice by the Bay was also invaluable over the last month of his life.

An informal celebration of Elgin’s life will be held from 12-4 PM this Sunday, January 6th at the San Geronimo house. Please call Nancy at (415) 713-8797, for information or directions.