In memory of Godfrey Oakley, MD – Please share your remembrances and tributes

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This thread is in memory of Godfrey Oakley, MD who passed away after a long and distinguished career in preventing birth defects. Oakley was the Professor of Epidemiology at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health, and also the Director of the Center for Spina Bifida Research, Prevention & Policy.

Please post your memories and tributes in his honor.
 
Remembering Godfrey:

medium.com

Remembering Godfrey

His gap-toothed smile, genuine warmth, and cheerful bonhomie was disarming enough to make you forget that you were in the presence of a…
medium.com medium.com
 
Godfrey and I had a taco dinner in Austin that changed my world view and life trajectory. While our colleagues had a separate conversation Godfrey leaned in and repeated for my initial benefit tie story of preventable birth defects. He had told it a thousand times and could have easily done the short and quick version and joined w other social conversations of colleagues. Instead he leaned in as he always does/ did and shared his passion for the potential of prevention via FAF to ameliorate and mitigate untoward and unnecessary suffering.He was always thinking of how to “ get it done” and he was convinced that neurosurgeons had a key voice that was under represented at that time. Ultimately it was about dong the right thing without delays simply to minimize the number of affected babies. I was enthralled and let his words and passion percolate for a few weeks until I ran into Gail Rousseau at a meeting ( she was really accomplished and respected) and asking her how and whether and how neurosurgery could get this done. Godfrey was the key and at the core of GAPSBIF from its inception. We must honor him by re- doubling our efforts in science based advocacy like never before to “ get this done “!! God bless and endless gratitude and respect for Godfrey Oakley.
 
In memoriam of Dr. Godfrey Oakley.
During the 50 years I have known Godfrey he never noticed "evil" in the actions of those who opposed, dismissed, or ignored his dreams—he was ready to embrace them as fellow humans.
W. Wertelecki, M.D.
 
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