Robert James Hye

Dr. Robert “Bob” James Hye was born on August 7, 1953 to James and Betty Hye in Rapid City, South Dakota. He grew up the eldest of three sons in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Bob graduated magna cum laude from the
University of Colorado in 1975 with a BA degree in molecular biology and went on to medical school at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from medical school in 1979, he moved to San Diego where he completed his general surgery residency at the University of California at San Diego. In 1986 he married Sandy Heisterkamp and started a family while completing a fellowship in vascular surgery at Scripps Green Hospital.

Bob’s entire surgical career was spent in San Diego. From 1986 to 1997, Bob was a general and vascular surgeon at UCSD during which he was Chief of Vascular Surgery at the Veterans Affairs Hospital. At UCSD he achieved academic promotion to Associate Professor of Surgery. In 1997 he moved his practice to Kaiser Permanente where he served as Chief of Vascular Surgery from 2004 to the present and was awarded Kaiser Partner of the Year in 2010.

Bob was an outstanding vascular surgeon committed to excellence in research by being the San Diego Area
Research Chair for SCPMG. His academic interests included carotid and peripheral arterial disease. Bob published over 100 articles and book chapters, and was the Principal Investigator in 40 clinical research trials to better the field of vascular surgery. He was also responsible for founding registries to track abdominal aortic aneurysms within the Kaiser Permanente System. As a physician, educator, researcher, and scholar, Bob’s life is a testament to vascular surgery – the surgical specialty he cultivated and helped flourish at UCSD and in the Southern California region. His counsel, enthusiasm for vascular surgery, commitment to resident education, and leadership was especially significant.

Bob worked hard his entire life. He never talked about the awards lining his office walls. He took advantage of every day and never complained about his illness, referring to it as only “bad luck”. He was pragmatic, sharp and funny. He was deeply involved in raising their three daughters who were his ultimate priority and the loves of his life. Bob shared his passions with his children—teaching them to ski, fish and camp at very young ages. As they became adults he passed to them his love of music and reading.

When he was not working Bob could be found golfing at Torrey Pines, enjoying a craft beer by the beach, or catching a local music show. He loved snorkeling in Hawaii, skiing in the Rocky Mountains, and fly-fishing in the Sierras. He was also a devoted gardener, taking special pride in his rose garden. As a child, Bob would sit in his room and read the encyclopedia for fun. He continued to be an avid reader throughout his adult life, which made it difficult to argue with him as he could converse eloquently on just about any topic. Many will remember Bob for his taste in music. In fact, before he became a physician he dreamed of being a rock and roll star. Bob’s nephew once referred to him as a “rock and roll doctor.”
Bob was preceded in death by his father, James Edward Hye. He is survived by his mother Betty Hye of Colorado Springs, Colorado, his daughters Abbey, Taryn, and Emma, and his former wife Sandy Heisterkamp all of La Jolla, California, his brothers Richard Stringer-Hye (Suellen) of Nashville, Tennessee and Steven Hye (Kathy) of San Diego, as well as eight nephews and nieces. He is also survived by his long time partner, Sonni Longson, also of San Diego.