Published December 2025
The following letter serves as Dan Dempsey’s personal reflection on his long-term relationship with Clyde Barker, who passed away on October 2, 2025, at the age of 93. Dr. Barker had agreed to a Fellow Spotlight interview, but never had the opportunity before he passed away.
We honor his incredible legacy with this tribute.
Forty-two years ago, in 1983, Dr. Clyde Barker became chairman of surgery at Penn at the age of 51. When this happened, I was in the lab and, like many of my fellow junior residents at the time, I didn’t know Clyde very well, if at all. But as senior residents, we each rotated on his service and played a large role in running his clinic and his OR. During this time, we all got to know him well as a teacher and mentor, but, more importantly, he came to know each of us as young surgeons and colleagues. Fortunately for me, that relationship continued for 42 years until I had the privilege of thanking him one last time a few days before he died. Clyde Barker was truly a wonderful man and (as Ron DeMatteo said) a titan of academic surgery.
When I reflect on my personal relationship with Clyde Barker, some of the words that come to mind, in no particular order, are loyalty, equanimity, inspiration, innovation, forgiveness, work, mind, humor, and husband/father.
Loyalty
Clyde was loyal to each of his residents and fellows throughout their careers, regardless of practice venue and/or personal accomplishments. I ignored his advice twice early in my career, but his commitment to me never wavered. I am pretty sure I am not unique in that regard, but I suspect that Clyde’s undaunted belief that his trainees were the greatest is somewhat unusual, if not unique, among surgical chairs.
Equanimity and work
I have two books on my bookshelf, which I received from Clyde Barker when I was a resident, one of which is Cushing’s biography of Osler. If Osler had been a contemporary, I am pretty sure he would have held Clyde up as a paragon of equanimity and of work (the “master word”). His ability to stay calm under pressure, both inside and outside the operating room, has been an example to many surgeons and department or division leaders, myself included. He has also been a great example of the joy of work for generations of Penn surgical residents and faculty.
Inspiration
Largely through encouragement and example, Clyde inspired his residents and faculty to excel; to want to do better. And when something significant was achieved, he gave credit and recognition. Clyde was eminently likable, and if you trained with him or worked for him, you wanted to please him. He told me fairly recently that he thought that likability was one of the most important and perhaps most underrated characteristics of successful leaders.
Innovation
Immune tolerance, solid organ transplant, islet cell transplant, gift of life, endovascular program (Fairman), aortic surgery program (Bavaria), trauma program (Schwab), etc. Enough said.
Forgiveness
It seems to me that one of Clyde’s underappreciated traits was his ability to forgive himself and to forgive others. He didn’t dwell on personal failures, and he didn’t dwell on the failures of his trainees or faculty. Perhaps the former is a characteristic of elite athletes, which, of course, Clyde was. I suspect the ability to forgive others was a conscious choice, made by a keen intellect that didn’t like to waste mental energy on vindictiveness, resentment, and grudges. He relished competition, not conflict. However, he didn’t shy away from conflict if something got in the way of important goals or plans.
Mind
Always two steps ahead of the game, he read voraciously and remembered most of what he read. He was interested in many things besides surgery, immunology, history, and tennis. And up until his last month of life, he was always looking forward to new projects and new ideas. An example for us all.
Sense of humor
We have all enjoyed Clyde’s wonderful sense of humor or irony, whether in conversation, during one of his talks, or through his writing. If you have not done so, I encourage you to read some of his essays in the Penn Surgery Alumni newsletter or some of his recently completed book.
Husband/Father
His love and partnership with Dode were extraordinary, and what made them irresistible to my wife Barbara, and many others, I am sure. At the luncheon after Dode’s memorial service, Clyde said that hands down; she was the person most responsible for his success in life and in academic surgery. He never fully recovered from her loss in 2019, but he courageously and productively carried on. He did this with the help of his children, Fred, John, Bill, and Elizabeth, particularly Elizabeth. He continued to enjoy his family, friends, surgery, and the APS until the end. For Clyde, I think the pluses of living far outweighed the minuses, up until the last week or so of his 93-year life, which is pretty darn good.
Thank you.
Daniel T. Dempsey, MD, MBA, FACS, FCPP (F’90)