For more than a decade, R. Timothy Stack was the ultimate executive, transforming Piedmont Healthcare from two hospitals and eight physician practices into a $1.6 billion organization with five hospitals and more than 50 primary care and specialty physician practices.
But after work, he was just a dad and husband looking to have a good time, whether that entailed riding his moped, playing blackjack or crashing his boats.
"He was somebody you wanted to work hard for and accomplish things for, but he always encouraged us to put our faith and family first," said Ed Lovern, chief administration officer for Piedmont. "He encouraged that. We all put in a lot of hours, but he was somebody who didn't take himself too seriously. He was confident, but had a genuine humility."
Robert Timothy Stack died Monday from complications of cancer. He was 60. A visitation will be held Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at H.M. Patterson & Son, Spring Hill Chapel. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church.
Mr. Stack was born in Pittsburgh in 1952 to Robert and Marjorie Stack. His father died when he was seven and his mother remarried John Gilmore, who raised him.
Mr. Stack attended Bethany College in West Virginia, where he was elected president of the student body. It was in that capacity that he met the woman who would be his wife. Mr. Stack had noticed Mary Malia's photo in the freshman facebook when she walked past one day.
"She was meeting with her advisor," said his oldest son, Tim Stack, of New York. "He saw her walk by and called her into his office. My mother said he was a lot of fun. He was a handsome guy. He had "Taxi" Tony Danza hair with side sweeping bangs. He was a charismatic guy. That is how he got so far in life."
The two married in 1977 and had three sons: Tim, Ryan and Matthew, who is a senior in high school.
Tim Stack said while their father excelled in sports, his sons did not. So he family found other things to do, like go to bad movies, which had a greater impact.
"We wanted to go into film, which is a tough field to get into, but he was completely supportive of us doing that," said Tim Stack, who is a movie critic for Entertainment Weekly. His brother, Ryan, is a producer for E! News in Los Angeles.
Before getting into hospital administration, Mr. Stack had dreams of being a history teacher or football coach. He found different passions. He loved his moped as much as his Jaguar. He was a frustrated golfer, but an excellent blackjack and poker player. He appreciated American Gladiators, but loved "Cats" and musicals.
Prominent in family lore was the Stacks' first camping trip, when they were chased by raccoons and slept in a nearby hotel. It was their last camping trip.
"He bought a boat and the first time he put it in the lake, it started to sink. He also hit a sandbar once," Tim Stack said. "Then, in a different boat, he crashed into the dock once. On a fishing trip, he accidentally hooked his fishing partner's ear instead of hooking a fish. He thought he was outdoorsy and we loved him for that."
Along with his wife, three sons and step-father, Mr. Stack is survived by a brother, John Thomas Gilmore of Scottsdale, Ariz.; and two sisters, Debbie Potts of Middleton, Del., and Alice Dragovich of Pittsburgh.
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