Dear Friends and Colleagues,
 
It is with tremendous sadness that I relay the passing of Dr. David Pepperberg early Sunday morning.
 
For over 35 years, Dr. Pepperberg was one of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences' most outstanding faculty.  His seminal work on photoreceptor physiology and biology shaped his field and helped bring Dr. Pepperberg and the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary to great prominence in the vision sciences. 
 
Those who have had the pleasure to work with David know that he is the consummate scientist, with a hunger for knowledge and a commitment to scientific rigor, honesty, and greatness that is unparalleled.  We also know David as a generous, kind, and loyal human being of the highest quality.  Dr. Pepperberg truly represents the pinnacle of dedication to scientific and personal excellence to which we should aspire.
 
Our thoughts and prayers go out to David's family, including his wife Audrey Eisenmann.  An obituary for Dr. Pepperberg appears in the Chicago Tribune today (https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=david-r-pepperberg&pid=190123801).  Funeral services will be held at 11am this Wednesday at Weinstein & Piser Funeral home in Wilmette.
 
Kindest regards,  
 Mark I. Rosenblatt, MD, PhD, MBA
Head, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary
University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences Systems