Dr. Lyddon remembered by radiology department

Debra Lyddon, M.D.

UNMC’s Department of Radiology is mourning the loss of one of its faculty members, who died last Thursday.

Debra Marie Lyddon, M.D., assistant professor of radiology and director of medical student radiology education, died of breast cancer complications. She was 53.

Friend and fellow assistant professor of radiology, Marcie Peterson, M.D., knew Dr. Lyddon, a Fremont native, well. The two had attended medical school and completed their residencies together at UNMC. Following their fellowships, Drs. Lyddon and Peterson worked at three different jobs together before joining UNMC in 2001.

“Her death is such a loss,” Dr. Peterson said. “She was such a great teacher.”

So great that radiology students elected her the outstanding medical student educator in 2007-2008, said Craig Walker, M.D., chairman of UNMC’s radiology department.

“The students pick one resident and one faculty member who have made the biggest impact and they picked her as the faculty member,” Dr. Walker said. “She had a really strong interest in teaching residents gastrointestinal radiology and a strong drive toward education.”

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, Dr. Lyddon’s condition worsened recently and she had been unable to work the few months prior to her death.

“She struggled with her disease and fought long and hard,” Dr. Walker said. “Most people knew that Deb was fighting an uphill battle.”

What most people might not have known was that Dr. Lyddon was “a huge fan of genealogy,” Dr. Peterson said. Or that she was an animal lover and extremely creative.

“I’m going to miss her energy and her outgoing personality,” Dr. Peterson said. “She was such a nice person.”

“Personally, Deb was very friendly and outgoing and easy to get along with,” Dr. Walker said. “People genuinely liked and respected her and I’m sure everybody will miss working with her. She was a pleasure to work with.”

More about Dr. Lyddon Dr. Lyddon earned her bachelor’s degree from the UNMC College of Nursing in 1977 and her doctorate from the UNMC College of Medicine in 1987. She completed her diagnostic radiology residency in 1992 and her gastrointestinal/abdominal imaging fellowship in 1993, both at UNMC.

A memorial service was held for Dr. Lyddon on Tuesday at the West Center Chapel in Omaha. Memorials are suggested to the Nebraska Humane Society.

Dr. Lyddon is survived by her husband, Michael L. Goldstein, M.D.; children: Blair, Gayle and Grant, all of Omaha; sister and brother-in-law, Patricia and Fred Scott of Fremont, Neb.; sister-in-law, Beth Bernstein and husband, Daniel of Scarsdale, N.Y.; nieces and nephews: Tiffany Condit (Christian), Shannon Johnson (Jeff), Chad Scott (Lisa), Sydney Bernstein and Max Bernstein; grandnieces and grandnephews; other relatives and many friends.