Hugues J. P. Ryser

Hugues J. P. Ryser age 93, passed away on Friday January 24th, 2020, at his home in Concord MA.

Hugues Jean-Paul Ryser, son of Ernest and Marthe Ryser, was born in St. Imier, Switzerland on June 11, 1926. He received medical and doctoral degrees from the University of Bern before coming to Boston in 1958 to assume a research position at MGH. He subsequently held faculty positions at Harvard Medical School and the University of Maryland Medical School before returning to Boston in 1972 to join the Department of Pathology at Boston University Medical School, where he retired as Emeritus Professor of Pathology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Community Medicine in 2001. He was fascinated by cellular level cancer and hiv research and was dedicated to mentoring young scientists.

In 1961, he married his beloved wife Carol Pierson (d.2012) with whom he had three children, Marc Ryser, of Concord MA, Jeannine Ryser, of Montcalm Quebec, and Eve Ryser of Napa, CA. He is also survived by his three loving granddaughters, Keira, Maya, and Isabelle. He rejoiced in the visits from his family, especially the shared group hugs, songs, dances, poetry, and mischievous animal stories which brought out his deep, rumbling laugh. He had a deep and abiding love of French poetry and classical music, having been an accomplished pianist and organist.

He was also a talented artist, producing works in a variety of media including sculpture and stained-glass. He had a great love of the mountains, especially the Alps of his youth, and spent many summers and winters hiking and skiing with family in New Hampshire and Maine, imbuing his children with that same delight. He also loved to kayak lakes and rivers, skimming along the waters attuned to the world around him. He found great joy knowing that his adventurous spirit, creativity, inquisitiveness and love of nature continue in his children and grandchildren. We shall always treasure his beautiful purity of heart, generosity of spirit, insatiable curiosity, and playful wonderment.

His funeral service will be on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel at Trinity Episcopal Church, 81 Elm Street, Concord. Interment will be private.