Dr. Robert D. Harwick, oncological surgeon

Robert D. Harwick, 88, a former chief of surgical oncology at Temple University Hospital, died of a myocardial infarction on Friday, Oct. 14, at his home in Wyncote.

Born in Utica, N.Y., he studied at Cornell University from 1941 to 1943, in an accelerated World War II program for premedical students, before entering Cornell's medical school.

Though a Cornell underclassman, he was captain of the golf team and was good enough, daughter Elizabeth Green said in an interview Tuesday, that "he had to choose between a pro golf career and medicine."

Dr. Harwick graduated from Cornell's medical school in 1947 and served as a Navy officer in a MASH unit in Korea from 1950 to 1952.

He began his Temple career as an instructor in surgery at its medical school in January 1956 and became clinical professor of surgery there in 1973.

Dr. Harwick became director of the Head and Neck Tumor Clinic and chief of surgical oncology at Temple University Hospital in 1978 while continuing to teach, his daughter said.

He was president from 1974 to 1976 of the Philadelphia division of the American Cancer Society, which gave him its bronze medal in 1976.

He was national treasurer of the former Society of Head and Neck Surgeons from 1981 to 1985 and its president in 1987 and 1988.

He was president of the Medical Club of Philadelphia in 1981, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the American College of Surgeons in 1992-93, and president of the Philadelphia Academy of Surgery in 1993.

He also was a member of the cancer commission of the American College of Surgeons from 1978 into the 1990s.

Besides his daughter, Dr. Harwick is survived by a son, Robert Jr.; another daughter, Jean Hirsch; and two grandsons. His wife, Elaine, died in 1990.

A memorial service was set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, 19 S. 22d St.