Obituary: Ranice Crosby, Director Emerita of Art As
Applied to Medicine, 91

Ranice Crosby in a 'Baltimore Sun'
photo, circa 1937, when she was a medical illustration
student.
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Ranice W. Crosby, professor and director emerita of
Johns Hopkins'
Department of Art as Applied to Medicine and a
venerated artist and educator, died on Feb. 18 at the age
of 91.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the Connecticut College
for Women, Crosby arrived at Johns Hopkins in 1937 to begin
her studies in medical illustration under the department's
first director, Max Brodel. In 1943, she became the first
woman to direct a department at the Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine, serving as head of Art as Applied to Medicine for
40 years. After stepping down in 1983, she continued to
teach in the department for another 22 years.
Crosby's skills as an illustrator were admired by her
colleagues, and she inspired and encouraged her students to
become the finest members of the profession. A founding
member of the Association of Medical Illustrators, she not
only contributed to the development of the profession but
also led it to the successful establishment and recognition
of the accredited graduate programs. Under her leadership,
the instructional program in medical and biological
illustration was elevated in 1961 to a graduate level
degree.
In 1984, Crosby received the American Urological
Association's William P. Didusch Award for outstanding
contributions to urological illustration, and in 1987 the
Association of Medical Illustrators honored her with its
Lifetime Achievement Award. Johns Hopkins recognized her
dedication to teaching and significant contributions to the
field of medical illustration, both at the university and
nationally, by conferring on her an honorary doctor of
humane letters degree in May 2002.
In a tribute from alumni on the 50th anniversary of
her teaching at Johns Hopkins, one of her students, John
Cody, wrote, "Known for her teaching, she had the qualities
for good administration growing out of perfectionism,
persistence, pride, caring, a pre-feminist insistence upon
equal ability, an inherent sense of discretion and an
ability to inspire teamwork, respect for co-workers and
loyalty."
Elizabeth Ramsey, a researcher who worked closely with
Crosby, commented that her "historian colleagues have
admired and emulated her not alone for her writings in the
field but more importantly and creatively for her
remarkable work as historical detective, restorer,
conservator and as administrator of the Brodel
Archives."
Crosby is survived by her daughter, Ranice H. Crosby,
and her daughter's partner, Alice Aldrich. A memorial
service will be held at a future date, to be announced. In
lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Ranice W.
Crosby Fund, Department of Art as Applied to Medicine,
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 100 N. Charles
St., Baltimore, MD 21201.
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2007
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