Charles McPhee died May 8, 2011, at his home in Woodland Hills, Calif., after a five-year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). He was 49.
Charles was best known as the Dream Doctor, devoting his career to making the language of dreams understandable and accessible, and sharing his knowledge on a radio show and website, Dreamdoctor.com.
After graduating from Princeton, Charles became a founding partner of Home Sleep Diagnostics and served as director of the Sleep Apnea Patient Treatment Program at the Sleep Disorders Center of Santa Barbara and Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
During his five years with ALS, Charles sought to advance understanding of the disease, undertaking several experimental treatments. In a Perspective piece for PAW’s Feb. 14, 2007, issue Charles wrote, “There will not always be more time, even for those who are healthy. I have learned that in death’s mirror, the magic and beauty of life truly are illuminated.”
Charles will be fondly remembered as a man of generous spirit, with an expansive smile and unforgettable shock of red hair. Our class sends deepest condolences to his wife, Petra Goebbel McPhee; his daughters, Celia and Ella; his parents, Joan and Henry; brother Roemer; and sisters Joan and Larkin.