MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — For those associated with the WVU School of Medicine and the WVU Athletics Department he was simply known as Doc Nugent. Neurosurgeon Bob Nugent died this week at his Morgantown home. He was 95.
At one time one of the leading neurosurgeons in the world, Nugent also loved Mountaineer football. He served as one of the team doctors for decades, friend and colleague Dr. Matt Lively said.
“He was a neurosurgeon for us for more than 40 years. I’ve been a team doctor for 22 years, working with him, and Bob was doing it for 20 years before that,” Lively said Wednesday during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Nugent was a longtime department chairman at WVU. Lively said Nugent came to WVU in the 1960’s and made a difference in his field.
“He was one of the pioneers in microscopic brain surgery. He was a world expert in treating a certain nerve condition in the face. He went all around the world giving lectures on that procedure,” Lively said. “Late into his career he was still known for that.”
Nugent didn’t slow down with age. He worked out three days a week and even continued to share the experiences of his career, Lively said.
“Up until this past week he was still coming into the hospital, going to conferences, helping teach the resident physicians and giving his expertise,” Lively said.
Lively called Nugent a renaissance man of sorts.
“He was an amateur astronomer. He had telescopes at his house. He did woodworking. He was an accomplished dancer. He was one of the smartest individuals I’ve ever known,” Lively said.