Necrology
Stanley Roy Shorb '62
Oct. 25, 1940-May. 7, 2022
Stanley Roy Shorb ’62 died on May 7, 2022, in Phoenix after being struck by a car in a parking lot. Born on Oct. 25, 1940, in Philadelphia,, he was raised in the suburb of Abington and attended Abington High School. At Hamilton, he was a member of Chi Psi fraternity and majored in biology in preparation for a career in medicine. After a shoulder injury cut short his football career, tennis became his sport; he played on the College’s team all four years and was its captain as a senior. He was also a member of Block “H” Club and the Biology Club.
A blind date at Skidmore in his senior year proved transformative when he met Ilona Barkocy, then a junior majoring in chemistry. They married on June 22, 1963, in Passaic, N.J., and had two sons and a daughter.
After graduation, Stan proceeded to Jefferson Medical College and graduated in 1966. Thereafter, he joined the U.S. Army and, taking advantage of the educational opportunities it offered, completed the basic course as a medical service officer and interned at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver. He trained as a flight surgeon and ophthalmologist, stationed first in Panama and then in Heidelberg, Germany.
Discharged in 1974 with the rank of lieutenant colonel, he accepted a fellowship at the University of San Francisco where he published several papers on macular degeneration and vitreous and retinal surgeries. Thereafter, Stan joined a practice in Phoenix joining six other ophthalmologists, all alumni of small liberal arts colleges. In the fall, they often discussed the accomplishments and prospects of the football teams at their respective alma maters.
Beyond his practice in Phoenix and assisted by Ilona, Stan traveled to a number of countries, among them the Amazon in Brazil, Bolivia, India, China, Tibet, and Panama, to perform cataract surgeries, train local ophthalmologists in the latest procedures, and provide large quantities of much-needed medical supplies. He chaired the department of ophthalmology at St. Joseph’s Hospital and volunteered his services at the St. Vincent de Paul social service agency as well as the Mission of Mercy, both located in Phoenix. Beginning in 2006, he was the ophthalmologist for the Arizona Cardinals football team; he was required to attend all of their games, both home and away.
Stan’s achievements were honored by both his profession and the community. He was a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and an examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology. He was regularly honored as a “Top Doc” by Phoenix Magazine and named its “Top Ophthalmologist” in 2009.
Stan placed great value on his time on the Hill. As a high school student, he was introduced to Hamilton by Charles Root ’40. As he noted in his 40th reunion yearbook: “[The College] instilled in me a study ethic that I didn’t have in high school and prepared me for a medical education. Public speaking was extremely helpful in my years as a hospital department chief. Hamilton helped me to question and analyze the different issues that have come before me.”
In return, Stan paid close attention to the College’s evolution as an academic institution through correspondence with the Alumni Relations office and a succession of Hamilton presidents. He contributed regularly to the Hamilton Fund, hosted regional meetings of Phoenix-based alumni (once with then-President Eugene Tobin), served on his class’s reunion gift committee, and was a participant in the Career Services volunteer program.
Stanley R. Shorb is survived by his wife, two sons, one daughter, and three granddaughters, who were the true light of his life.
