Lasting Memories

Calvin Barclay Roper
1922-Aug. 11, 2007
Palo Alto, California

Calvin Barclay Roper, 85, who built the original Mid-Peninsula Animal Hospital across from the Menlo Park train station, died Aug. 11 at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Hospital.

Dr. Roper built the animal hospital in 1962, shortly after he and his wife and family moved to California from Connecticut.

Dr. Roper was born in Washington, D.C., to Frank and Sarah Roper. His father died when he was two months old. He grew up on Long Island and attended Cornell University, earning a degree in veterinary medicine in 1946. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy. During his college years he made life-long friendships through crew, veterinary training, and Beta Theta Pi fraternity, say family members.

In 1948 Dr. Roper married Kay Moreing. Their three children were born in Greenwich, Connecticut, close to where Dr. Roper built his first veterinary hospital. In Menlo Park, Mid-Peninsula Animal Hospital included an upstairs apartment so there was always someone on the premises to help with overnight patients. Dr. Roper valued continuing education, supporting research, and helping with pet vaccination clinics at senior centers, say family members. He was a honorary lifetime member of the Peninsula Veterinary Medical Association. He retired in 1980.

Dr. Roper enjoyed attending Menlo Park Rotary Club meetings, riding his bike to Stanford football and baseball games, taking part in Cornell Club events, and playing golf at Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club, say family members. For more than 20 years, he raised a variety of oak trees, which he donated to local golf courses, parks and residences.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Kay, of Menlo Park; son Calvin Roper Jr. of Kaysville, Utah; daughters Kris Baird of Santa Rosa and Linda Roper of Menlo Park; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.