"Hubert ("Bus") Pirkle passed away on November 3, 2015 with his family by his side. He was born and raised in Rockville, Indiana, the son of pulmonologist Hubert B. Pirkle and his wife Freida. They called their son Buster and the nickname "Bus" stuck with him for the rest of his life.

After two years at Indiana University, Bus enlisted in the US Navy in 1942. The Navy decided he should finish his pre-med training at DePauw University where he graduated in 1945. Subsequently he earned his medical degree at Indiana University in 1949 and did his internship at the University of Chicago. At that point, he was called to serve as a battalion surgeon in the Korean War. In 1951 he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Valor. After his service, he returned to the University of Chicago to complete his residency in pathology from 1952 to 1955.

He was appointed to the faculty of the University of Louisville Medical School in 1955 as an Assistant Professor of Pathology. He continued at U of L until 1970, becoming Associate Professor of Pathology, Acting Chairman of the Pathology Department, and Associate in Biochemistry. During these years he was a Markle Scholar, a Special Research Fellow of the National Institutes of Health, and spent a year as a visiting scientist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

In 1970, he joined the faculty of the University of California Irvine School of Medicine first as Associate Professor and later Professor of Pathology, serving as Acting Chairman of the department, Chief of the Division of Hematopathology, Chief of the Division of Chemical Pathology, and Pathology Course Director. He was passionate about his work, publishing many peer-reviewed journal articles, as well as a book, "Hemostasis and Animal Venoms". His research in his primary field of interest – – the biochemistry and biophysics of blood clotting – – brought him national and international recognition. He was also an excellent teacher and is fondly remembered by his former pathology students practicing medicine all over the country today.

Bus's love of the outdoors began during his childhood in Indiana where he started fishing off of the covered bridge in the back of his house at a young age. He also started playing the piano as a youngster, becoming proficient in classical, jazz, and blues piano. As a young man, he sat in with jazz greats Lil Armstrong and Roy Eldridge. His passion for playing the piano, as well as the guitar continued through his final years. You'd also have to count good food, good wine, and good conversation among Bus's great joys in life.

He was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. He is dearly missed by his wife Jackie, children Joan and David, stepchildren Steven, Emily, and Peter, as well as his nine grandchildren. His gentle spirit and warm smile will be missed by all who knew him.

Please join us for a Celebration of Life:

Sunday, February 7,2016 at 1PM

UCI University Club

801 E. Peltason Dr.

Irvine, CA 92697

In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution to either of the following organizations would be appreciated:

Doctors Without Borders

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/support-us/donation-faq

Union of Concerned Scientists

http://www.ucsusa.org/about/ways-give#.Voxvy3TTmtU