Don Rudolf Laub

01/01/1935 - 04/26/2024

Don R. Laub was born at the stroke of midnight January 1, 1935, in Milwaukee, Wis. He went to St. Roberts School in Shorewood and attended Marquette High School and Marquette University Medical School. He graduated in 1960, and completed his surgical internship at Yale Medical School. He then moved to Stanford University Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., to complete his residency with Dr. Robert A Chase, the new chief of surgery. Don became the chief of plastic surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine from 1968 to 1980, before entering private practice. In 1969, he founded Interplast, Inc. (now ReSurge International), pioneering the concept of surgical teams working in developing countries to help the underserved. These humanitarian trips have transformed tens of thousands of lives around the world through plastic and reconstructive surgery, together with the multidisciplinary teams that accompanied them. The original spirit of Interplast has given rise to dozens of humanitarian medical organizations world wide. Other accomplishments include pioneering techniques of gender affirmation surgery in the 1970s that are still used today, and mentoring and teaching classes to undergraduates and medical students to instill in them the value of international health.

Don was influenced by being raised in the Midwest and his Jesuit education, both of which he felt inspired hard work and self-sacrifice. He was an unflaggingly optimistic and cheerful man, an inspiring mentor and a great promoter of other’s careers. He was diagnosed with lymphoma and complications from this illness led to his retirement from medical practice. After this, he renewed his positive attitude to life and had what he described as a rebirth. He shared this positive outlook in his autobiography, “Second Lives, Second Chances.”

Julia (Judy) McCotter and he were childhood sweethearts, and they married in 1958. Judy supported Don faithfully in all his work, projects, and visions. Together, they have five children, Don Jr., Raymond, Julie, Mary, Louise, and seven grandchildren, Dylan, Genevieve, Kate, Davis, Jack, Emerson and Erik.

Stories and tributes of Don can be shared at: https:// www.forevermissed.com/ don-laub-md/

Details for his memorial service will also be posted at this link.