[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 25, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1092]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING DR. JAMES L. RORIE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 25, 2005

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life 
and achievements of Dr. James L. Rorie, M.D. of Oakland California. 
James was a passionate and widely respected physician, a leader in our 
community and a wonderful friend. After decades of service to his 
patients throughout Oakland and the East Bay, James passed away on May 
15, 2005.
  James L. Rorie was born on May 15, 1945 in Albemarle, North Carolina 
to James W. Rorie and Raddie Ewing Rorie. He graduated second in his 
class from the High School of Albemarle, and went on to earn his B.S. 
degree from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North 
Carolina. After earning his college degree, James became a teacher at 
Kittrell Grade School in North Carolina, and later at St. Rita's 
Parochial School in New York. He then went on to teach physical science 
at Washington Irving Jr. High School in New York City, and also worked 
with his students as an assistant track coach.
  During this time, James was also in the process of completing Summer 
Studies at North Carolina University, and later Post Graduate Studies 
at Columbia University in New York. In 1971, he entered medical school 
at the S.U.N.Y. Downstate Medical Center in New York, where he received 
his M.D. in 1976. James then did his four-year residency in Obstetrics 
and Gynecology at Metropolitan Hospital in New York, which he completed 
in 1980. Following his residency, he became a member of the National 
Medical Association, and in 1985, became board-certified by the 
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
  During the early 1980s, James remained in New York, working at the 
Woman Infant Care and P.A.A.M. Medical Clinics, and later as a clinical 
instructor at Metropolitan Hospital. In 1982, he relocated to Oakland, 
where he opened his own general Ob/Gyn practice, with an emphasis on 
infertility and laparoscopic surgery. James ran his practice from that 
time until the present, while simultaneously working as an on-call 
physician providing emergency room coverage in obstetrics and 
gynecology at the Alta Bates Summit Medical Centers in Oakland and 
Berkeley and for East Bay Medical Associates. For a number of years, he 
also served on the Board of Directors of the East Bay Surgery Center, 
and as the chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Oakhill Medical Group.
  Though James' commitment to others was evident through his devotion 
to his patients, his concern for others extended beyond the medical 
field. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and also served on 
the board of directors of the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame and the 
Boys and Girls Club of Oakland. James was a devoted brother, father and 
friend, and is survived by his daughter Raina, his son James, his 
brothers Glen and Bobby, his sisters Eleanor and Shirley, his foster 
sister Vangie, and numerous other relatives, friends and colleagues.
  On a very personal note, James Rorie, with great skill and 
compassion, brought my youngest granddaughter Simone Lee into the world 
on August 30, 2004. For this, I am deeply grateful and I will always 
remember Dr. Rorie as a competent physician, a good friend and a 
community leader.
  On Sunday, May 22, 2005, we join together to celebrate the life of 
James L. Rorie, and everything he contributed to those around him 
during his lifetime. The impact he had on the lives of his patients and 
students is truly immeasurable, as was the effect he had on those of us 
who had the privilege of knowing him as relatives and as friends. The 
role played in our community by individuals as committed to serving 
others as James is of paramount importance in ensuring the health of 
our community and the well-being of our families and young people. On 
behalf of the 9th Congressional District, I salute James L. Rorie for a 
lifetime of service to others, and for his devotion to making our 
community a better place.

                          ____________________