Warren Edward Grupe, MD
December 27, 1933 - March 12, 2023

The only child of Harold and Betty, Warren (Babe) proved to be a curious, adventurous, rambunctious wavy-headed little boy.  He excelled in worrying his mother by jumping off train trestles and swimming in quarries.  He was very close to his Uncle Warren (Sutliff), and his cousin Bob (Sutliff) and his wife, Ellen.  His father was a design engineer for the American Locomotive Co and GE, and accomplished at violin and mandolin.  He gave Warren new ways to think and a love for music.  His mother exposed him to creativity and the fine arts through her lens as a painter.  At Upper Darby High School (PA) he participated in chorus, theatre, student government, was editor of the school newspaper, and voted "Class Wit."

In 2004 he was inducted into the Upper Darby Hall of Fame.

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He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University (1955) where he was an active member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.  There he created life-long friendships while playing cards, taking road trips, sharing laughs, studying, and playing the accordion.  Warren constantly referred to these men as the most intelligent and forward thinking he would ever meet.  Decades later he would still be attending JHU lacrosse games with his frat brother John Defandorf.

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On a blind date in Philadelphia, he met Nita Yeager.  While laughing and walking Warren tried to help her over a snowbank, but dropped her in it instead.  Nita claimed they spent every day after that laughing together.  A recipe that kept their marriage going for over six decades.  They adored each other.

 

He received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania (1959) - believe it or not, as a "B" student.  Warren was appointed Chief Resident at the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia where he rotated clinical internships.  He completed his residency training in pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.  After serving as LTJG US Navy, New Haven Submarine Base, he returned to Case Western with Research Fellowships in Immunology and Pediatric Nephrology.  He was appointed Associate Professor of Pediatrics,

Chief of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology and

Assistant Dean for Phase III Medical Education.

In 1966, following his instincts to try innovative ideas with Professor Walter Heymann, Warren pioneered the use of alkylating agents in the treatment of childhood steroid-resistant renal disease and nephrosis, which has since become standard therapy.  He often recounted this collaboration as one where the two of them tried things that others thought would fail, so they persisted til they got it.

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When not in the laboratory or at the hospital, Warren always found time to spend with his young family in their Cleveland Heights neighborhood.  There they had numerous friends, block parties, bowling teams and opportunities to relax.  Many winters he built a small skating rink in the backyard for Nita and their girls.  He enjoyed playing banjo, creating model train layouts and repairing antique clocks.

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Warren was recruited to inaugurate a new academic department at Harvard Medical School in Pediatric Nephrology (1973), and establish the Division of Nephrology at the Children's Hospital Medical Center of Boston (now one of the largest Pediatric Nephrology services in the US).  As the first Chief of Nephrology, he established and became the first Chief of the Kenneth D. Blackfan Medical Service in 1985.

To his delight, Alumnae of his fellowship program now direct major academic renal centers in the US and are leaders in academic professional development.  He also began sharing his expertise internationally.

In 2006 he was recognized for his achievements with the establishment of the

Warren E. Grupe-John P. Merrill Professorship in Transplantation Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

In 2009 the Warren E. Grupe Professorship in Pediatric Nephrology at The Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School was created.

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While living outside Boston, Warren and his family enjoyed being New Englanders (including his mother, Betty, who moved up after his father passed away).  Many excursions were taken exploring the city and surrounding areas as often as possible.  Weekends and holidays were spent at their tiny cabin in Maine enjoying the quiet lake, fried clams and trips to the ocean.  The cabin was Warren's place of respite as it had no phone service, so on occasion, someone from the general store would drive out to let him know the hospital had called.  He would then have to drive to the store to return the call at the payphone.

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In 1987 he became Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the SUNY Health Sciences Center, Syracuse University (the university held special meaning as the alma mater of his father, Harold).  While at Syracuse Warren continued his quest to bring quality pediatric care and training to as many parts of the world as possible.  He became a medical consultant with Project HOPE travelling to non-democratic countries: the Ukraine, Poland, USSR, Czechoslovakia, Qatar, China; as well as remote or seldom travelled areas who he felt were equally deserving of quality care and medical training:  Indonesia, Korea, Peru, Chile, Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Nicaragua, Honduras

39 countries in total, on six continents

He met with Princes, Celebrities, Dignitaries, Presidents, and Pope John Paul II.

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International Medicine became a full-time job when, in 1991 as Chairman of the Medical Board at Project HOPE, he was asked to create a Division of Medical and Health Sciences Education and was named Vice President of Medical Education.  A move to Leesburg, VA followed so he could have access to Project HOPE offices and policy makers in Washington, DC.  He continued his travels, often taking Nita with him, and they embraced exploring other cultures, meeting fascinating people and tasting new foods.

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When not travelling with HOPE, Warren and Nita travelled far and wide with their close friends, the Group of 8 (friends from Cleveland days), as well as travelling with Frat brothers and their wives.

Of great joy was exposing their grandchildren to the adventure of exploring a wider world through travel.  Each child chose a place of interest to them and got MeMa and PePa all to themselves for a few weeks:  Iceland, New Zealand, Ireland, the Netherlands, Kenya and even a week at Aerospace Camp.

Words of wisdom to his grandchildren: "Be curious, ask why and why not; go barefoot and explore!"

Long conversations with his grandchildren showed how interested he was in what they were learning and what he could learn from them, the books they were reading, school projects and school courses.

They loved family visits and especially loved visiting the grandkids on their college campuses.

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Upon "retiring" in 1995, Warren continued to advocate for women's and children's health worldwide by launching the International Center for Children's Health in Norfolk, VA.  No longer needing quick access to DC, he and Nita moved to Charlottesville, Virginia and found their true home.  They felt that after a dozen moves, this was the place where they were meant to be.  Joyous friendships were made and they connected to the university student body through their involvement with Westminster Presbyterian Church.  A favorite was hosting Soup Nites in their home for the students.

Never ones to sit still, they both found opportunities at University of Virginia.  Warren became a Visiting Professor of Pediatrics at the Medical School.  He was Founding Director of the Westhaven Clinic Coalition to bring innovative health care access and health care programs to Charlottesville's residents of public housing and to the unhoused.  He was also a Founding Director of Charlottesville Health Access providing a novel healthcare navigation system for the unhoused community.

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Accolades of a fifty year career have become their own page here on Warren's website.  He was beyond honored to receive each and every award.  The tributes that meant the most to him were:

Upper Darby High School Wall of Fame

Emeritus Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Nicolaus Copernicus Medal (Poland)

Rostropovich Medal (Russia)

Jacob Ehrenzeller Award (Pennsylvania Hospital)

The Two Professorship Chairs at Harvard

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Despite 'world-wide acclaim,' all who met Warren instantly knew that he was an unpretentious and good-natured person.  Always fun to be around, an excellent conversationalist, and always interested in listening to and interacting with others.  He loved a good joke, a great song/piece of music, the ticking of an antique clock, a fine wine, cold beer, cheap cigars, a Manhattan on the rocks.

He enjoyed Gilbert & Sullivan comic operas, anything Shakespeare or Mel Brooks, all things classical - especially Preservation Hall jazz and Strauss waltzes.  He marveled at thunderstorms and gazed at the stars.  He relaxed watching Barney Miller, Benny Hill, The Honeymooners, Jerry Lewis, or whatever happened to be on PBS.   He read, thought and wrote daily.

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The past four years have been devoted to caring for Nita as she became impacted by living with dementia.  He took on the roles of daily home upkeep, supporter, care giver and companion in their little Charlottesville home.  He was heartbroken to watch her struggles, yet their daily laughter continued.  Warren summed up the changes, "I've lost the woman I love, but I still love the woman I'm with."

Last year they moved to Pennsylvania to find memory care for Nita and respite for Warren.

He visited Nita each afternoon sharing cookies and, of course, laughs.

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Warren is admired and loved by the family and friends he leaves behind.

He is dearly missed by his wife, true love, travel companion and best friend of 65 years, Nita.

Lovingly remembered by his two daughters, Beth (Randy) Ashford and Susan (Lon) Diffenderfer.

Infamous "PePa" with his loud laugh, even louder sneezes, much louder nose-blowing, and

giant hug-giver to grandchildren Emerson, Connor (Sarah), and Mason Ashford;  Rachel, Ben (Jess), Robert, and Faith Diffenderfer.  And to great-granddaughter Cora Diffenderfer.

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Warren's greatest legacy is his belief that to be a great educator, one must be an avid learner.

He was constantly seeking and embracing new ideas/technologies.  He never stopped learning or lost interest in exploring something new.  This past winter he took an on-line course about Shakespeare, and just prior to falling ill he was taking an on-line course in Physics.

He felt there was something interesting in each day and something to learn from everyone:

"Never believe you're the most intelligent person in the room -

you will then be open to listening and learning from others."

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