News

Our community has lost a gifted surgeon, our hospital has lost one of its pillars, and our Professional Staff has lost a dear colleague and close friend. It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Robert Wayne.

Dr. Wayne was born on August 14, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York. He received his medical degree from Creighton University in Omaha and started his surgical training at the New York Hospital-Cornell before returning to Creighton to complete his residency in 1974.

Dr. Wayne was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and joined the Professional Staff here at Columbia Memorial Hospital in 1978. He was granted honorary status in July of 2020. Dr. Wayne served as chief of surgery at CMH, as well as at Providence Seaside Hospital, and was instrumental in developing a designated trauma center at CMH. He also served as president of the Clatsop County Medical Society.

Dr. Wayne was a famous figure in his home of Cannon Beach, where he and his wife, Jean, have lived for decades. He could usually be spotted “riding his horses downtown, wearing cowboy boots, a cowboy hat, a large belt buckle and something red” (The Astorian, 11/06/19). He would often come across families with children and offer them horseback rides. Neighbors commented that Dr. Wayne added charm to the city as he rode his horses through the downtown streets.

Dr. John Vetto, a professor of surgical oncology and dermatology at OHSU, remembers how Dr. Wayne faced his previous cancer diagnosis in 2009 with humor, courage and optimism. He will always appreciate the enthusiasm and unflagging support he gave to the North Pacific Surgical Association, an organization Dr. Wayne “really loved and was proud to be a member of.” His thoughts are with Dr. Wayne, his wife, Jean, and their family.

Brett Sheppard, OHSU professor of surgery and chair of pancreatic disease research, called Dr. Wayne a “surgeon’s surgeon and a prince of a man.” He described him as a staunch patient advocate who always supported other surgeons with his helpfulness, selflessness and kindness. “He was always welcoming, and there was a permanent invitation to ride horses on the beach with him. He loves his horse, the kids he rides with and the beach. He is generous with his time and support and has helped so many folks in his community and elsewhere. A truly loving and kind man.”

Dr. Nathalie Johnson, surgical oncologist and medical director of Legacy Cancer Institute, remembers Dr. Wayne as a great personality and loyal member of North Pacific Surgical Association. “He has such a great sense of humor and always brings joy and a stimulating, if not sometimes irreverent, conversation. I remember him staying at our home once … we didn’t have a hair dryer in our guest room, and after that, he sent us one. Nothing but love for Bob.”

I recall Dr. Wayne “for years shuttling between the two hospitals as one of only two surgeons taking care of the entire county.” Dr. John Hunter, general surgeon and CEO of OHSU Health, has many Bob Wayne stories, “mostly to do with horses, goats and scooping horse poop.”

Dr. Wayne served our community for over four decades, working tirelessly to care for patients at both CMH and Providence Seaside Hospital. He was a champion of our hospital, our caregivers and our patients. He influenced a generation of rural surgeons on the Oregon Coast, and his impact will be felt decades to come. It won’t be the same here without him.

A service will be held Tuesday, October 24, at 2 p.m., at Hughes-Ransom Mortuary in Seaside.

-Erik Thorsen, CEO