Herman Richard Gaumer PHD

Herman Elmer Gaumer, MD and Elizabeth Dilworth Gaumer Harris. He was also

preceded in death by his sister, Judith Gaumer Hutton and his stepfather, Lucius John

Harris. He is survived by his stepbrother L. John Harris, Jr., his wife, The Rev. Susan

Salot Gaumer, his son Matthew Richard Gaumer of New Orleans, and his daughter,

Catherine Lorraine Gaumer Farr, his son-in-law Gist Henry Farr, III, and by his

granddaughter, Elizabeth Lorraine Farr of Seattle, Washington.

Dick graduated from Wilmington Friends School where the Quaker traditions of

peace and justice deeply influenced his character throughout his life and career. He

studied biology, graduating from Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, earned

a Master of Science degree in marine biology from the University of Delaware, and a

Ph.D in bacteriology and immunology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel

Hill. Following a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Colorado, he moved on to

a research position at the University of Minnesota before coming to New Orleans.

Although initially at Tulane University, in 1980 he began a life long relationship working

with LSU Medical School. He served there as Associate Professor of Pathology,

Coordinator of HIV Laboratory Services, and as Scientific Director of Molecular

Pathology and Flow Cytometry at Charity Hospital, later LSU Interim Hospital. One of

his medical technicians described him as “a leader, teacher, inspector/travel partner,

cheerleader, friend, confidant and rescuer of [her] job following Hurricane Katrina.”

When the HIV-AIDS crisis hit in the early 1980’s, Dr. Gaumer visited bars in the

French Quarter to assure those worried about affliction that research was going on that

would, if not cure the disease, make it possible to live a quality of life with the disease for

years to come. His work at Charity helped make that assurance a reality. A devout

Christian, Dick chaired the HIV-AIDS Commission in the Episcopal Diocese of

Louisiana, and participated in the national HIV-AIDS efforts of The Episcopal Church.

Devoted to public radio, Dick served on the Board of WWNO until his death . He

sang in Episcopal Church choirs in Minnesota and New Orleans, graduated from the

School for Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, and was a member of the

Ambassador Club. He will be remembered for his marvelous sense of humor and dry

wit and for riding his bike on the Mississippi River levee every morning from Uptown

New Orleans to well past Elmwood in Jefferson Parish and back.

Dr. Gaumer’s funeral will take place at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, New

Orleans, (at the corner of South Carrollton Avenue and Zimpel Street) on Tuesday, July

10, 2012 . Visitation will begin at 10 am in the Chalstrom Parish House. Eucharist will

begin at 11:30 am. Burial will take place in Lower Brandywine Cemetery, Centreville,

DE, on Thursday, July 12, at noon. In lieu of flowers, contributions to St. Andrew’s

Episcopal Church, Guardian Angel Hospice, or to the charity of your choice in his

memory are encouraged.