\t\t\tHarry F. Hixson, Jr. \t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\tOBITUARY\t\t<\/p>\n
A Tribute to Harry F. Hixson, Jr.<\/p>\n
Forever Curious, Forever Learning, Forever Loved <\/p>\n
The San Diego community and countless others around the globe have lost a brilliant star-Harry F. Hixson, Jr., cherished husband of Teresa Hixson for 30 years and father of Ashley Hixson Vest, Blair Hixson Davis, Harry Hixson III, and Bennett Hixson.<\/p>\n
Harry championed making a difference. He cherished his family and sought to be a good steward of love, friendship, scientific development, the arts, and a stronger community. As a father, he was the anchor, compass, and true north for his four children who dearly miss his presence, guidance, and laughter.<\/p>\n
Harry Hixson, Jr. and the pioneering development\/manufacturing teams he led estab- lished the operational blueprint for the modern biopharma industry.<\/p>\n
His passion and drive were second to none, advancing revolutionary outcomes in the world of life-changing products through biotechnology. Harry\u2019s unique spirit of exploration and powerful leadership skills led product development teams to forge new paths in manufacturing, regulatory, communications, and health economics \u2013 all to expedite breakthrough technologies that transformed supportive patient care by targeting the severe side effects of chronic kidney disease and chemotherapy, forever changing the care of patients worldwide for the better.<\/p>\n
Harry worked with various companies in his distinguished scientific and business career. His early years encompassed Procter & Gamble (1963-1964); Xerox Research Labs (1969 -1974); and Abbott Laboratories, Diagnostic Division (1974-1984); prior to leading at Amgen (1985-1991) and ultimately founding and leading multiple biotech companies in San Diego.<\/p>\n
Harry, all of Amgen, and indeed the worldwide medical community, celebrated the 1989 FDA approval of EPOGEN\u00ae, a growth factor that stimulates red blood cells and has become the standard of care for patients with end-stage renal disease, minimizing the need for blood transfusions. By 2005, 99% of all in-center hemodialysis patients in the United States were receiving EPOGEN\u00ae treatment. As EPOGEN\u00ae was transforming the lives of dialysis patients and their families, Amgen was completing the final clinical and regulatory path for NEUPOGEN\u00ae\u2019s regulatory approval in early 1991. NEUPOGEN\u00ae stimulates white blood cell production to reduce the incidence of life-threatening infections in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.<\/p>\n
Harry Hixson\u2019s leadership and team management helped make these breakthrough products available to alleviate severe suffering for millions of dialysis and cancer patients.<\/p>\n
Incredible as it may seem, Harry made time for joyful fulfillment. His happy places, spaces, and faces included precious time with family, classical music, opera, sailing, theater, baseball, tennis, scouting, poetry, Shakespeare, quick-witted humor, and dressing in costume. Harry also embraced business strategy, history, the development of our nation, and the WWII years.<\/p>\n
Harry, intrigued and awed by the master composers, began piano lessons in his early 50s and continued to practice into his 88th year. His love of the arts translated into his philanthropy. Harry served on the San Diego Opera board for 28 years, including as Board President, and enthusiastically supported the La Jolla Music Society and numerous arts organizations throughout San Diego. He and his wife Teresa had their first date at a La Jolla Music Society concert 30 years ago.<\/p>\n
He dedicated years of service to the Boy Scouts of America. As a youth, adult, and father, Harry believed in the developmental and character-building power of Scouting. He earned his Eagle Scout Award in 1956, and the Scout values and law guided his commitment to service and character throughout his scientific and business career. His lifelong commitment to volunteering as an adult leader included numerous roles (2008-2020) in La Jolla Boy Scout Troop 4, the oldest continuous Boy Scout Troop west of the Mississippi. Harry was proud to serve side-by-side in scouting with his son Harry III, who earned his own Eagle Scout Award in 2017.<\/p>\n
Harry received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University in 1960. For the next three years he served in the Navy, where he participated in The Bay of Pigs rescue operation and the1962 Cuban Blockade\/Cuban Missile Crisis. Afterward he returned to Purdue, where he received a Ph.D. in protein chemistry in 1970. He obtained an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1978 and received an Honorary PhD in 1999 from Purdue University for being an early pioneer in the biotechnology industry. Education was a priority for Harry, the son of a carpenter who told him to use his mind in his future work. Harry maintained a love of woodworking, maintaining a wood shop in his home where he often built furniture and helped cub scouts fine-tune their pinewood derby cars.<\/p>\n
Throughout his adult years, it fascinated Harry that roughly 95% of the universe is essentially unknown, whether dark matter or dark energy. These mysteries of physics affirmed his belief and faith in God\u2019s handiwork \u2013 baffling us all as mere curious, humbled humans.<\/p>\n
Harry F. Hixson, Jr. was born on August 28, 1938, in St. Louis, Missouri to Virginia Brown Hixson and Harry F. Hixson and spent his early years in St. Louis. Harry is survived by his beloved wife Teresa Marie Hixson (La Jolla); children Ashley Hixson Vest (Bill) of Virginia, Blair Hixson Davis (Marty) of Del Mar, Harry Hixson, III of La Jolla, and Bennett Hixson of Chicago; grandchildren, Grace, Emma and Alden Vest; and younger sister Virginia McDonald (Dave). Harry\u2019s sister \u2013 Mary Richter \u2013 is deceased, and her husband Al Richter survives her. Harry adored his children and grandchildren and was immensely proud of them.<\/p>\n
A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 15 at 1:30 pm at St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in La Jolla, CA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to La Jolla Boy Scouts Troop 4 in furtherance of Harry\u2019s dedication to their values and mission of character development and growth; or La Jolla Music Society, in recognition of his lifelong love of music and the arts.<\/p>\n