“Dr. van den Noort’s work in neuroscience took MS research to a whole new level,” John Richert, the society’s executive vice president of research and clinical programs, said in a statement.
“In his role as chief medical officer of the society and chair of the Medical Advisory Board, Stan helped to build awareness, understanding and support for speeding us towards a world free of multiple sclerosis,” Richert said. “He will be much missed by all who knew him.”
A prolific publisher, van den Noort also was lauded for the care he gave his patients.
He once remarked that he was incapable of spending just 15 minutes with a patient.
He chose instead to spend upward of an hour with each one.
But his enthusiasm extended into his personal life as well, where he was remembered as a warm and caring family man.
Van den Noort was married for more than 55 years to his wife, June. They spent their 50th wedding anniversary in Paris with their five children and many grandchildren.
“He would make a joke out of how he couldn’t work as many hours a week as his age anymore, but he almost did,” June van den Noort said.
“He was really like the ideal dad,” said his daughter, Betsy van den Noort. “He worked very hard, but when he was home, we always felt we had access to him. Always.”
June van den Noort said her husband put the secret of his success down to the simple act of trying. “That’s the kind of thing that lives on with me,” she said. “You’ve just got to try.”
Born Sept. 8, 1930, to Dutch immigrants in Massachusetts, van den Noort attended Dartmouth College and Harvard Medical School.
