In Memoriam

William Earle Matory Sr. (1928-2009)

William E. Matory, a surgeon who was instrumental in the growth of the Howard University College of Medicine, died of heart disease at Howard University Hospital. He was 80 years old.

Dr. Matory had a surgery practice for more than 40 years. At Howard he trained more than 4,000 future doctors. He also developed a series of training films for surgeons. Dr. Matory was also responsible for establishing Howard’s continuing medical education program for midcareer professionals, its physician assistant training program, and the program in family medicine.

Dr. Matory was the director of the continuing medical education program at the National Medical Association from 1977 to his death.

A native of East St. Louis, Illinois, Matory’s mother died when he was 3 years old. After his mother’s death, he was raised by an aunt in Mississippi. He went to Howard University where he was president of the Class of 1949. He later graduated from the Howard College of Medicine.

Vivian Hawkins Robinson (1921-2009)

Vivian Hawkins Robinson, the first woman to serve as academic dean at historically black Paine College and the first person to hold an endowed chair at the college, has died in Augusta, Georgia. She was 87 years old. Dr. Hawkins was the first African-American woman elected president of the National Association of Departments of English.

Dr. Hawkins was a native of Chicago. Her father was a minister. She graduated from Lane College and earned a master’s degree at Atlanta University and a Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska. In addition to a long career teaching at Paine College, Dr. Hawkins was active as a lay leader in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

Copyright © 2009. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.