Roger Evan Farber, M.D.

Farber, Roger Evan MD passed away on January 24, 2018 at age 79 from Alzheimer's Disease. He was born in Buffalo, NY where he attended Bennett High School and the University of Buffalo. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where he met his wife, a classmate. They married in 1962 and together travelled the "road less taken" for the next 55 years. Roger completed his internship at the Buffalo General Hospital, served in the public health service at NIH, and completed his residency in Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania in 1969. Roger was a logical, passionate, committed physician and humanitarian who brought healing, hope and health to so many. After relocating to Minneapolis, Roger, together with his brother and partners, founded the Noran Neurological Clinic. Roger was known for thinking "out of the box" in finding paths to recovery for individuals who had no answers or hope. He was at the forefront on the use of L-Dopa for Parkinson's and innovative in reversing the ravages of acute Multiple Sclerosis. For years, he performed emergent carotid angiograms day and night, often mustering a team to remove a blockage to prevent strokes. He was a pioneer in the development of carotid ultrasonography for stroke prevention, lecturing nationwide about its use. His career was dramatic and compassionate. In 1989, Roger joined the Neurology faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught and practiced Neurology with a particular emphasis on headache and pain. He opened his own private practice, the Pennsylvania Headache and Pain Center, in 1995, where he alleviated the pain and suffering of his patients, often with his mastiff Tigger by his side. Roger connected deeply with dogs. He raised, bred, and embraced a myriad of Rottweilers, and then Mastiffs, throughout his life. He loved sailing boats and working the land. He found great pleasure living in a geodesic dome, and sharing the joys of his dogs, his garden, his sense of humor, his love of Star Trek and physics, with his family. As his disease became apparent, Roger moved to Tenafly, NJ to be near his daughters and their families, and it is with the circle of love that surrounded him, of family and caregivers, that he managed his illness with grace, courage and humor. He is preceded in death by his parents, Professor Marvin Farber and Lorraine Walle Farber, and by his older brother, Dr. Lawrence Farber (Seija). He is survived by his wife, Dr. Abigail First Farber & their children, Deborah Farber Sonnenberg (David), Dr. Daniel Farber (Janey), Benjamin Farber (Anna), and Dr. Rebecca Farber (Martin), and their beloved grandchildren Rachael, Hannah, Tovi, Elian, Madeline, Kathryn, Lucas, Leo, Lars, Preston and Quinn, as well as his sister Dr. Carol Reddy (Michael). To share memories of Roger: abigailfarber@gmail.com