In Memoriam

’52 M.D. — Joseph Kantor Indenbaum of San Dimas, Calif., Aug. 5, 2025; pediatrics. Dr. Indenbaum was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and pioneer in Los Angeles County’s health system. He practiced as a pediatrician, later earning a master’s degree in public health from UCLA and becoming medical director of Olive View Hospital. In 1978, he became medical director of Los Angeles County’s Health Services, serving until his retirement in 1988. He founded the Emergency Medical Services Directors’ Association of California and held professorships in pediatrics at both USC and UCLA. He was an avid sailor, traveler and pianist, and volunteered at a weekly children’s clinic run by the LA County Health Services for over six decades. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Mary Ryan Indenbaum; children Richard and Laurie; two grandchildren; and many extended family and friends.

’53 M.D. — Richard T. Silver of New York, April 17, 2026, professor emeritus of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and past president and senior advisor to the Weill Cornell Medical College Alumni Association. An internationally recognized expert on leukemia and rare chronic blood cancers, Dr. Silver’s contributions to Weill Cornell Medicine were recognized through many honors, including the Richard T. Silver Distinguished Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology and the Richard T. Silver Visiting Professor. A 1950 graduate of Cornell University, he was the inaugural recipient of the WCMC Alumni Association’s Exceptional Service Award. Dr. Silver was a generous supporter of cancer research and founded the Cancer Research & Treatment Fund. Through his dedication to Weill Cornell Medicine, he also helped establish the Richard T. Silver, M.D. Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where Dr. Silver later served as director emeritus. Dr. Silver was known for his intellectual generosity, sense of humor and enduring curiosity about what medicine could achieve. He believed deeply in bringing people together across disciplines and perspective in a spirit of collegiality and shared purpose. The generations of clinicians and researchers he mentored, the patients whose lives were extended by his care and discoveries, and the institution he helped shape stand as a lasting testament to his impact. He is survived by his wife Barbara, their son Adam, granddaughters Stella and Isla, nephews Tom and Jack, niece Nancy, and extended family. He was predeceased by his brother, Norman.

’54 M.D. — J. Robert Buchanan of Evanston, Ill., Dec. 22, 2025; endocrinology. An esteemed physician, teacher and leader, Dr. Buchanan served as the eighth dean of what is now Weill Cornell Medicine. He completed his residency in medicine and a research fellowship in endocrinology at what is now NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in 1958. He joined the Weill Cornell Medicine faculty in 1961 as an instructor in medicine and rose to become dean of the institution in 1969 at the age of 41 — a role he held until 1976. Serving as dean during a time of great transition, Dr. Buchanan relished working on tough problems. In response to student activism at the time, he established the Medical Student Executive Council. He also saw great value in the intersection of research and medical care and was instrumental in establishing a joint M.D.-Ph.D. program with The Rockefeller University in 1972, which later became the Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, with Memorial Sloan Ketting Cancer Center. In 1977, Dr. Buchanan was recruited as president of Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center and served as a professor of medicine and associate dean at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. From 1982 to 1994, he was general director of Massachusetts General Hospital, and — inspired by service in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Korea that sparked a lifelong interest in regional, national and international healthcare education and delivery — was also was a founding trustee of Aga Khan University in Pakistan, where he contributed to the development of its medical school and hospital system for more than three decades. Dr. Buchanan is survived by his son, Ross Townsend Buchanan; two granddaughters; and other family and friends. He was predeceased by his wife of 46 years, Susan Carver Buchanan, M.D., and daughter, Allyn Buchanan Risen.

’57 M.D. — William “Bill” Plauth Jr. of Santa Fe, N.M., Sept. 21, 2025; cardiology. Dr. Plauth was a pioneering pediatric cardiologist whose career spanned academia, research and clinical leadership. After training at Weill Cornell Medicine, Johns Hopkins, the National Institutes of Health and Boston Children’s Hospital, he joined Egleston Hospital for Children in Atlanta in 1971 and later became a founding member of the Children’s Heart Center. In 2003, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia chapter of the American College of Cardiology for his contributions to the field and dedication to training future pediatric cardiologists. Known for his devotion to patients and love of the camaraderie of medicine, he also enjoyed sailing, tennis, music, coffee ice cream and Monty Python. He is survived by his children, Nancy and Bill III, and five grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Barbara “Bobby” Plauth.

’57 M.D. — Charles A. Santos-Buch of Key Biscayne, Fla., Feb. 12, 2026, former associate dean and professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, and attending pathologist and director of cytology at what is now NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Born in Santiago de Cuba, Dr. Santos Buch earned a degree in biochemistry from Harvard. After graduating from medical school, he completed his residency at what was then The New York Hospital and served as an NIH Research Fellow. Following the start of his academic career at Emory University, he returned to Weill Cornell, where, his survivors say, he became the first Hispanic full and tenured professor. They note that as associate dean, he championed the admission of women and those underrepresented in medicine and helped shape curriculum reforms that influenced generations of physicians and scientists. Dr. Santos-Buch was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Carol Valle Santos-Buch. He is survived by a sister, three sons, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

’58 M.D. — William Beaver of Waterford, Va., Nov. 12, 2020; pharmacology. Dr. Beaver helped establish a scientific basis for the use of pain-killing drugs, chaired a federal panel on the medical use of marijuana, and is credited with drafting the initial federal regulations defining adequate and controlled clinical studies. He completed a surgical internship before becoming a postdoctoral fellow and later an instructor at Weill Cornell Medicine and Georgetown University. Neighbors knew Bill as a friendly, gregarious man with many interests, including traveling, woodworking and tending to his 48 acres of land. A strong family man, he cherished his children and his grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; three children; and six grandchildren.

’62 M.D. — Laurance B. Nilsen, of Paradise Valley, Ariz., March 17, 2025; endocrinology. Dr. Nilsen was an accomplished physician, steering his patient care with expertise and empathy. He completed an internship at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y., and pursued his residency and fellowship at Duke University Hospital. His passion for public service led him to serve in the U.S. Public Health Service at Los Angeles County Hospital, later transitioning into private practice. He enjoyed hobbies including reading, fishing, and oil and watercolor painting. Above all, he was a devoted family man and is survived by his wife, four children, 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

’85 M.D. — Roxanne Rodney of Tenafly, N.J., April 30, 2025; internal medicine and nuclear cardiology. Dr. Rodney served as the global executive medical director in the pharmaceutical product development division at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Her career began at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the Mayo Clinic in Florida, and later expanded into industry roles with Boehringer Ingelheim, Schering-Plough, Novartis, Quintiles, Syneos and CRG. A dedicated advocate for heart health, she was a former board member of the American Heart Association and published peer-reviewed research in Circulation and JACC. Deeply guided by her faith, Dr. Rodney found joy in life’s simple pleasures and was known for her warmth, integrity and commitment to family and friends. She is survived by her twins, Paul and Marielle Rodney, who were the great joy of her life.

’97 M.D. — Peter Sultan of Westhampton, N.Y., July 13, 2025; orthopedic medicine. Dr. Sultan was an orthopedic surgeon at Peconic Bay Medical Center. He was known for his skill, compassion and dedication to his patients and community, and for his ability to uplift patients, often playing keyboard music between surgeries. He is survived by his children, Elizabeth and William; his parents; three sisters and their spouses.

Faculty

Jessica Davis, M.D., of New York, Feb. 19, 2026; pediatrics. Dr. Davis was a pioneering geneticist, dedicated teacher and mentor to countless Weill Cornell Medical College students and trainees. Known for building bridges and fostering collaboration, she was a tenured professor in the Department of Pediatrics and served as co-chief of human genetics and director of clinical genetics. In 2003, she co-founded the Kathryn O. and Alan C. Greenberg Center for Skeletal Dysplasias at HSS. A Brooklyn native, Dr. Davis graduated from Wellesley College. After earning her medical degree from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, she was among the first generation of clinicians who combined genetics and compassionate care for children with disabilities. She is survived by her son and daughter, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, a daughter and sister.

Joseph Hayes, M.D., of New York and Colebrook, Conn., on Jan. 21, 2026; cardiology. An esteemed physician, teacher and mentor who dedicated four decades of his career to Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Hayes first arrived at the institution as a resident in internal medicine, later serving as chief resident. Following a fellowship in cardiology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Dr. Hayes became a faculty member in the Weill Department of Medicine, holding the Herbert J. and Ann L. Siegel Distinguished Professorship in Clinical Medicine until his retirement in 2007. A steadfast advocate of leveraging information technology in healthcare, Dr. Hayes was instrumental in implementing one of the nation’s first electronic medical systems. He was also an exemplary educator, serving as the first formalized internal medicine residency program director and introducing the nation’s first course for training CPR instructors. For his many achievements, he was honored with the Maurice R. Greenberg Distinguished Service Award. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Britt-Marianne; six children; and 15 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Renee Rolston, M.D., of Cambria Heights, N.Y., March 4, 2026; assistant professor of urology. Dr. Rolston was a deeply respected, devoted physician, a gifted surgeon, and a dedicated mentor whose compassion and commitment touched the lives of countless patients with complex pelvic health conditions. Dr. Rolston joined Weill Cornell Medicine in 2023 and saw patients at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. She made lasting contributions to the advancement of women’s health and the education of the next generation of physicians. Dr. Rolston is survived by her loving husband, Pascal Mensah, their children Leo and Lyla, her parents, sister, and a wide circle of family, friends, and colleagues who cared deeply for her.

Timothy Vartanian, M.D., Ph.D., of Boston, Oct. 25, 2025; professor of neuroscience and of neurology. Dr. Vartanian was a deeply respected neurologist and neuroscientist whose dedication to his research and patients profoundly shaped the field. He led the Judith Jaffe Multiple Sclerosis Center since 2009. His laboratory and clinical studies provided fundamental insights into how oligodendrocytes form and repair myelin, revealed key roles for innate immune receptors in neural injury, and promoted the use of advanced imaging biomarkers to track lesion evolution. Dr. Vartanian’s groundbreaking research helped reframe MS as a disorder potentially initiated by microbial toxin exposure in genetically susceptible individuals, opening new avenues for preventive and restorative therapies. His warmth, intellect and mentorship inspired everyone who had the privilege to know and work with him.