Robert P. Schroeder, M.D.
(1956 -2021)
In Memoriam
Robert P. Schroeder, M.D.
(1956 -2021)
It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of our esteemed colleague and friend Bob Schroeder. Bob passed away on July 7 after a lengthy illness surrounded by his wife and children.
Please think of Bob when you are next outside with the sun on your face, or biking down a trail, or skiing with your family.
A driving force behind Retina Services of Illinois, Bob was a dedicated physician whose many contributions in medical, surgical retina and ocular oncology, especially for pediatric patients will serve as a lasting legacy for the profession. In addition to being a cutting-edge doctor and researcher, Bob will be remembered by all who had the privilege to know him as a devoted husband, a fiercely proud father, and a fearless adventurer.
For more than 35 years, Bob served as an Associate Professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology. He served as an integral part of the teaching program for Northwestern’s Vitreoretinal Fellowship program and had the unique specialty within retina of Ocular Oncology, focusing on choroidal melanomas, and served as one of only a handful of ophthalmologists in the country with this focus. He served as a principal investigator and co-investigator in National Institute of Health’s clinical trials and has written and contributed to innumerable peer-reviewed publications.
Bob began his career as an ophthalmology resident at the University of Chicago and completed his internship at the Wilmer Eye Institute of the Johns Hopkins Hospitals and Maryland General Hospital, both in Baltimore, Maryland. He completed a two-year fellowship in medical and surgical Retina and Ocular Oncology at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia in 1988, where he made lifelong friends and colleagues.
All of his life, Bob was an avid outdoorsman with sports that included heli-skiing, cycling, and flying. Bob’s love for the outdoors was second only to his greatest love, his wife, Debbie. Bob and Debbie loved to travel together and shared many of the same passions and supported one another throughout their lives together. On any given football season Sunday their loyalty for their beloved Chicago Bears found them cuddling up on the ten-yard line, consoling each other and laughing through their tears saying “we’ll get ‘em next year.”
Bob and Debbie together shared so many accomplishments, but the greatest of all was raising two beautiful children, Jonathan and Julia. Bob was tremendously proud of his children and shared his passions and spirit with them. He taught them how to play tennis, snow ski and water ski and also how to enjoy life. Bob passed on his love for tennis to Jonathan and Julia, who both played at the collegiate level. Nothing gave Bob more pleasure than watching his kids successfully compete.
Bob’s life was celebrated in a private service. Donations in Bob’s honor can be made to the Mantle Cell Lymphoma Center.
Robert Schroeder Obituary (2021) – Chicago, IL – Chicago Tribune (legacy.com)
Bio
Dr. Schroeder joined Retina Services of Illinois, LLC in 1988.
An Associate Professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology in Chicago since 1988, Dr. Schroeder serves as an integral part of the teaching program for the Northwestern’s Vitreoretinal Fellowship program.
Dr. Schroeder has a unique specialty within retina, Ocular Oncology, focusing on choroidal melanomas and serves as one of only a handful of Ophthalmologists in the Country with this focus. Dr. Schroeder has served as a principal investigator and co-investigator in National Institute of Health’s clinical trials and has written and contributed to peer-reviewed publications.
Dr. Schroeder was an ophthalmology resident at the University of Chicago, and completed his internship at the Wilmer Eye Institute of the Johns Hopkins Hospitals and Maryland General Hospital both in Baltimore, Maryland. He completed a two-year fellowship in medical and surgical Retina and Ocular Oncology at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia in 1988.
Dr. Schroeder attended medical school at the Rush Medical College in Chicago where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society and completed his degree in 1982. He received Biochemistry and Chemical Engineering degrees from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
Board certified in Ophthalmology, Dr. Schroeder is a past President of the Chicago Ophthalmology Society, a past Board Member of the Illinois Association of Ophthalmology, and a Board Member of the Illinois Society for Prevention of Blindness. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retinal Specialists, and Retina Society.
Dr. Schroeder is passionate and derives great solace from the unique work and research he does in the areas of retina and ocular oncology and is particularly interested in its link to the rest of internal medicine. He strives to find the optimal work/life balance and compliments his practice by embracing outdoor activities. He is an avid biker, expert skier and enjoys the challenge of participating in an annual heli-skiing outing in British Columbia. He resides in the Northern suburbs with his wife Deborah and two children.