Celebrating the Life of a Remarkable Man!
Roy D. Altman, MD, was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather; a scientist and compassionate physician; as well as a mentor and teacher to hundreds of rheumatologists and others around the world.
Roy was born in Astoria, NY and moved to Miami Beach with his parents at a young age. He grew up in his family’s small hotel on South Beach, graduated from Miami Beach High School, attended Michigan State as an undergrad, and University of Miami for medical school.
The bulk of his professional career was spent at the University of Miami, where he was Professor of Medicine, Chief of Rheumatology and Immunology, Director of the Rheumatology Research Unit, and Professor of Orthopedics; and the Miami Veterans Administration Hospital, where he was Chief of the Arthritis Section and Clinical Director of the Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center. He later moved to Los Angeles and became a Professor at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. His published articles in medical journals number in the thousands.
Roy was married to his lifelong partner, Linda and they have been fortunate to have the companionship of many dogs over the years. Their children are Evie (deceased husband Scott), Sarah (and husband Mike), Aaron (and wife Servane), and Ruth; grandchildren are Mo, Marxe, Satch, Kiernan, Kadyn, Samuel, Mélodie, Eloïse, and Benjamin. Roy’s favorite hobbies included woodworking, puzzles, his Shelties, and (in recent years), model trains.
We invite you to remember Roy with pictures and recollections, that we can post below. Please send your stories and/or pictures to ea@eviealtman.com, and we will post them below.
My dad set very high standards for himself and those he taught and loved.
—Evie Altman
I am so sorry to hear about the passing of you father may he rest in peace 🙏❤️. He was truly a great man and a pioneer as well as a personal hero and inspiration for my muskuloskeletal radiological career, and I know by a fact that I’m not alone in this perception of your father.
Roy will continue to be a major inspiration and live in spirit in our hearts for his loving personality and be an inspiration for and an example to live after in our continued academic efforts.
—Mikael Boesen, Professor, forsknings ansvarlig overlæge, Ph.D, Radiologisk Afdeling, Muscoloskeletal sektionen, København NV/ Co-founder, Radiologisk AI test center (RAIT)
A big star in the rheumatology world and osteoarthritic research and treatment has left us. However, I am sure he will twinkle as a star up there for us forever and when I am doubtful over a decision, I may notice a very short but sharp twinkling that will guide me to the decision. He will be lovingly remembered by all who had the opportunity to meet him, his family, colleagues and the patients.
—Mats Brittberg Professor MD PhD
Editor in Chief, CARTILAGE
Dr Roy D. Altman, the Man Behind the Hand-Painted Ties
—Rheumatology News, 3 Nov 2011
I remember it distinctly. I was chilling at ACR and up to me came the world-famous Roy Altman and his fabulous wife Linda. Roy said he was retiring from Miami and could he teach and see patients at UCLA? Wow … talk about opportunity knocking! So we benefited from several years of his generosity. And he was still editing Seminars. The fellows can’t say enough good things about his teaching sessions using the ACR slide collection. He drove hours each way to do that. So we have the sorrow of losing this Great One and the joy of having worked, studied and partied with him.
—Bevra Hahn, UCLA Rheumatology
For me your father is a great man with an impressive legacy. He has done so much for osteoarthritis research. His work really helped the field forward.
—Margreet Kloppenburg, MD, PhD, Professor of Rheumatology, Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum,The Netherlands
Roy was an incredible person and we loved him very much. He was always very caring, helpful and insightful and its was a privilege to have him as a neighbor and friend. We feel very fortunate to have been able to spend so many dinners, outings and family time with him as he was an integral member of our family.
—Neev Zaiet
He was truly an inspiration for many of us (young) researchers around the globe, and will remain a great name in science.
—Féline Kroon, MD, Leiden University Medical Centre, Netherlands
Your father was a great and loyal friend despite our geographical distance. I will miss our scotch dates and conversations. I am so glad I was able to set up a virtual happy hour with him recently. As was his custom, he never let on that he was suffering from Parkinsons. I am truly heartbroken at his loss both personally and for the world of medicine which he graced.
—Joe Stark
He will be remembered by his former patients as a superb and caring clinician, by his former fellows and colleagues as an excellent teacher and mentor, and a thoughtful and careful scholar in the field of osteoarthritis.
—Marc Hochberg, MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine
In Memoriam: Roy D. Altman, MD
—OARSI.org
…we at the ACR and Foundation knew your father as a giant in the field of rheumatology and are grateful for his many contributions.
—Benjamin Walkuski, Rheumatology Research Foundation
His patients loved him because he was providing treatments and services that they really had trouble finding elsewhere.
I first met Roy on day #1 of our internship at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami in 1962 during the Cuban Crisis…. I leaned on him for valuable advice about how to navigate the often highly political arena of academic medicine.
We invited each other to be visiting professors at our respective institution. We were coauthors on articles concerning disease classification criteria (his osteoarthritis; mine scleroderma). Anne and I visited Roy and Linda in Miami in 1995 and I last saw Roy at UCLA in 2010.
Roy was a true friend and rheumatology soulmate. Peace, Brother!
—Tom Medsger, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
—Reumatismo (in Italian and English)