In Memoriam

Jan "Yana" Alban, MD
Dr. Jan "Yana"Alban was born in Shanghai, China's French Concession, September 2, 1928. Fearing the increasing persecution of Jews, his parents, Asya and Isal Abramovitch, and sister Lily, had fled Russia the year before. He died in San Francisco, aged 75, March 12, 2004 of complications from a neck injury which had occurred in April 2003, and had forced his retirement.

From early childhood, Dr. Alban was determined to practice pediatrics in the United States. His family concurred, "You're going to learn English and you're going to America because that's where the opportunities are," according to his daughter, Andrea Alban Gosline of San Francisco. He also was fluent in four languages: English, Russian, Mandarin Chinese and French. Entering the United States on a student visa, Dr. Alban earned his bachelor's degree at UCLA in 1950, and graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1955, the same year he received his citizenship for which he had struggled for six years. During the McCarthy era, anyone from China was considered to be a Communist, which meant additional red tape.

After an internship at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Dr. Alban took his pediatric residency at the University of Minnesota, but that was interrupted in 1957 when he and his new wife (who had been an X-ray technician at Mayo Memorial Hospital), traveled to Kyushu, Japan for two years. There he served as chief of pediatric services for a U.S. Air Force Base. During that time he also traveled to nearby orphanages, providing medical care and food from his own home.

He finished his residency at Baltimore City Hospital and became a fellow of Johns Hopkins University. He then moved to San Francisco and set up a private practice in Presidio Heights. As one of the few local doctors who spoke fluent Mandarin, he had no trouble attracting patients. He also had an "old school" practice, making house calls and overlooking some patients' lack of medical insurance. He never bought a computer, keeping all of his patient records by hand. His leisure time was limited, but when he was able, he enjoyed fishing on his boat, the Pediafishin', at Lake Tahoe, stamp collecting and attending the San Francisco Symphony.

Professional highlights include: pediatrician for the USSR Consulate, clinical professor of the UCSF Department of Pediatrics, service to the San Francisco Public Health Department, the Perinatal Committee and Emergency Committee of CPMC, the Crippled Children's Committee of the Academy of Pediatrics, the Utilization Review Committee of the SF Health Care Foundation, and as a member of the San Francisco Medical Society (also the CMA and the AMA) since January 1961, served on the Medical Review and Advisory Committee. He was a Diplomat of the American Board of Pediatrics, a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, an affiliate fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and member of the International Society of Topical Dermatology. He published a number of papers on dermatology and mycology.

He is survived (and greatly missed) by his wife of 47 years, Donna Waterman Alban, two daughters, Andrea Gosline, and Laura Walsh, and four grandchildren, all of San Francisco, as well as nieces, nephews and numerous extended family members.

Joseph O. Lackey, Jr. MD
As we go to press, word was received of the death of Dr. Joseph O. Lackey, Jr. in Mexico on December 11, 2003. Dr. Lackey was buried near the coast of his beloved Acapulco.

He was born 76 years ago in Cairo, Illinois. He received his bachelor of science in biological sciences at the University of Chicago in 1949. He graduated from the Pritzker School of Medicine of the University of Chicago in 1953, where he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He interned at the New York Hospital and Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. He was board certified in surgery and also practiced occupational medicine in San Francisco for over 35 years. He joined the San Francisco Medical Society in August of 1961.

Dr. Lackey played the violin, loved classical music and enjoyed reading and travel.

He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph Owen and Mona Rene Lackey. His wonderful sense of humor and his kindness will be missed by his many friends, especially Mark Anthony Venegas.