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Peter M Taft - June 16, 1945 - April 16, 2022 La Mesa, CA Peter M. Taft MD, a La Mesa resident of over forty-two years, passed away peacefully at home on April 16, 2022. The cause was pancreatic cancer. Born to Cuyler Griffith Mathews and Caleb Sidney Taft, he was a graduate of Brown University and Boston University School of Medicine.
After completion of his internship at University of California San Diego University Hospital, Dr. Taft served two years as a General Medical Officer at Naval Communication Station in Sidi Yahia, Morocco. Upon returning to San Diego, Dr. Taft completed his surgical residency then joined the Department of Surgery at Kaiser Permanente where he enjoyed a long and fulfilling career.
Dr. Taft cared for thousands of patients in his nearly 30-year General and Vascular surgical practice, in addition to serving three terms as Chief of the Department. He improved patient care with the establishment of a vascular lab at Kaiser, and he worked with various committee members to create and implement HealthConnect, Kaiser's electronic medical record.
Outside of the operating room, Dr. Taft served as an original member of Kaiser's Ethics Committee.
Peter married his wife Thayer in 1969, and together they lived a life enriched with family and travel. Two of their favorite places to visit were Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Paris.
Dr. Taft had wide-ranging interests including music, sports, wine, computers and art, especially photography. He was particularly inspired by the Group f/64, epitomized by Ansel Adams. Dr. Taft found it both relaxing and challenging when he attended photo workshops throughout the country, or when he had an opportunity to relax with his family and photograph his children.
Dr. Taft is survived by his wife Thayer, son Caleb and his partner Joellynn, son Ansel, granddaughters Lily and Elyse and their mother Heather; brothers David and Cary. He was predeceased by his parents and sister Pamela.
Published by San Diego Union-Tribune on May 22, 2022. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sandiegouniontribune/name/peter-taft-obituary?id=34898256
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Heather Scarlett (Hurley)
So sorry to hear about Peter. He had recently reconnected and even attended a Zoom Rust gathering despite his failing health. He did a lot of research on covid when the pandemic started and sent out well documented newsletters on the disease and the progress of the vaccines. We were lucky to have gotten reacquainted with him before he passed away.
Joan McCarty (Lord)
I’m truly saddened by the news of Peter’s death. So many good memories a lifetime ago. I remember especially his broad smile, the very perceptive caricatures he drew of classmates during senior play rehearsals, his spending lunch time in science labs, and the dinner his mom prepared for a group before senior prom. I lost contact with him during college days. Then, he was a missing classmate on the website for so many years. But a year or so ago, I was happy to see he’d signed in. I was hoping he might come to the reunion. I’ll regret the lost opportunity to catch up with him.