By Angela Moniot

Longtime physician Paul Marlowe this month will say farewell to his patients and the urgent care practice where he has provided care for 32 years as he embarks on an adventure with his. wife Lorraine.

The uniquely quirky and endearing Marlowe is known throughout the community for providing exceptional care since 1983.

Growing up in Oakland, Marlowe spent the winters visiting Lake Tahoe and remembers skiing at Squaw Valley during its second season of operation. Skiing has always been a longtime passion of Marlowe’s. He was the team captain for his college ski team at UC Berkeley. While attending Cal, Marlowe fell in love with photography and recalls taking photos of campus protests against the Vietnam War.

“I was busy dodging tear gas and taking photographs of history in the making. I would be on the riot side avoiding rocks and tear gas taking pictures with Kodachrome 64,” he said.

Paul Marlowe skiing at Kirkwood. Photo/ Steve Brooks

After receiving his undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley, Marlowe moved to Tahoe to coach skiing at Ski Incline (now Diamond Peak) and save money for medical school. While working at Ski Incline, he also met his wife-to-be, Lorraine, who he adoringly calls his “dolly and the love of my life.”

Marlowe went on to attended medical school at the University Autonoma de Guadalajara, Mexico.

“Lorraine and I headed to Mexico in our Mercury Montego station wagon filled with books and toys. We would spend our free time collecting butterflies and roasting coffee. It was such a blast,” he said.

The couple returned to the United States and married in Incline Village and celebrated their honeymoon during a 45-mile backpacking trip near Kirkwood. Following his medical residency in Kentucky, Marlowe returned to Lake Tahoe to begin practicing medicine.

“Being a doc is totally cool. I get to wear a rubber tie [as he pulls on his stethoscope], kill bugs – the bacterial type – and make people happy,” Marlowe says. “It has been a great adventure and I have had the pleasure of working with the most remarkable team. Our office is what text books should be written about. I will miss our wonderful staff and patients.”

Longtime medical partner and family practice physician, Steven Brooks remembers the first time he spoke with Marlowe about starting an urgent care clinic at Tahoe together.

“I was in Chicago in a hospital looking at films with the radiologist and I took the call from Paul regarding the job opportunity at Stateline Medical Center, which is now Barton Urgent Care, in LakeTahoe. We had a nice chat regarding the setup of the facility and then he told me, ‘If you decide to move here be sure to bring your snorkel because there is so much powder you’ll need it!’ That statement closed the deal for me and we have been practicing together for over 30 years.”

Brooks continues to say that he could not have asked for a better partner, colleague or friend.

“Paul is the kindest most caring person I’ve ever known, in addition to being an outstanding physician. His diagnostic skills are amazing and he takes the time with each patient to know exactly what is going on with them. I know I’ll probably never meet anyone like him again, he is irreplaceable. He has clearly earned his retirement but I will miss seeing his smiling face in our clinic. It’s going to be sad but knowing that he and Lorraine will be enjoying their retirement together full time makes me happy,” Brooks said.

When Marlowe isn’t treating patients, he enjoys mountain biking, skiing, canoeing, photography and traveling. While you can spot him skiing the trees out at Kirkwood, he often spends winter days in the backcountry skiing favorites like Mt. Tallac and Elephants Back.

The Marlowes’ next adventure will take them to their favorite places.

“We are going to hitch up our trailer and drive around America to see the big furries in the Tetons, hear the elk bugle during rut, and see Nebraska’s Sandhill Cranes migration. Nature is so much fun,” he said.