4800 E Indian School Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85018
RAUP, CALVIN LEE
Calvin Lee Raup, known to friend and foe alike as “Cal,” died at home on Friday, November 26, 2021, of an exceptionally rare form of cancer called NUT carcinoma. A singularly brilliant man and talented litigator, Cal was a mainstay of the medical-legal community in Arizona; his encyclopedic knowledge of healthcare law was second-to-none, making him one of the finest legal minds in the Valley. He commanded respect among his colleagues throughout his field. He was rated among the Best Lawyers in America in Healthcare Law as well as four categories of Litigation: Healthcare; Personal Injury & Death; and both Plaintiff’s and Defense Medical Malpractice.
Cal was born in Austin, Texas on September 28, 1948, the second son of Calvin Ray Raup and Mable Irene Davis. He lived there until his twenties, graduating from University of Texas at Austin in 1971 with his degree in business. He then attended Texas Tech University, graduating from law school cum laude in 1975. He was admitted to the Texas State Bar in 1975, then to the Arizona State Bar in 1976. After moving to Arizona, Cal became increasingly involved in healthcare law and served as a medical malpractice defense attorney for nearly 40 years before beginning to take plaintiff’s cases. He represented doctors before the board on everything from complaints to privilege loss to impairment and recovery. He joined the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine in 1999 as a Professor of Practice, teaching an unforgettable seminar called “The Anatomy of Malpractice” that provided invaluable (and entertaining) instruction to medical students regarding the realities of medical litigation. He published articles, spoke at dozens of conferences, and traveled all over the country in service of his clients.
Early on in his career, Cal made it a goal to become AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell by age 40, an aim he forgot somewhere along the way. Sometime in the year after his fortieth birthday, Cal remembered to look himself up: he had made it without even realizing. While he played the consummate attorney with ease, with a biting wit and didactic mien, this quiet humbleness was one of Cal’s rarest and most beautiful traits. His accomplishments, and his life, were in service to others.
His amateur loves included photography, aviation, and computers. He voluntarily bought and read cover-to-cover a set of giant Microsoft manuals, making him the go-to guy for years when something went wrong with your computer. He held a private pilot’s license briefly and could tell you the type of plane overhead based on a miniscule silhouette. On family vacations, his nose was invariably buried in the petals of some brightly colored flower—albeit via telephoto lens.
Cal is survived by his beloved wife Angela; his brother Jim Raup; his son Grant and grandson Davis; his daughter Gretchen Pierce and granddaughter Heidi; and his daughter Christina and step-granddaughters Luca and Zoya.
Visitation will be held on Friday, December 17, 2021 from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, with Trisagion prayers at 6:00 pm. The Funeral Liturgy will be held on Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 10:00 am at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Interment will be held at Green Acres Cemetery with Mercy Meal to follow.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of Calvin Raup to support cancer research. To ensure the funds are allocated properly, please mark the memo line of a check or the ‘Tell Us Why You Give’ field on the website with the term ‘NUT Carcinoma.’
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
P.O. Box 849168
Boston, MA 02284
or via www.dana-farber.org/gift.
We are profoundly saddened by Cal’s passing. He was an extraordinary person who dug deep for justice. My family is, and will forevermore, be grateful to Cal for the true compassion, genuine kindness, and engaging sense of humor that was his alone. Cal enriched many lives by just being here…
May his Soul rest in peace and his Memory be eternal.
Roz Carroll & Pete Marudas
My thoughts and prayers are with you Angela and Christina.
Beautiful obituary, Christina. I love and will miss my brother terribly. RIP, Cal. I am thankful and grateful for my last visit with you.
-kai-
Jimmy
To Angela, Christina, Grant and Gretchen:
We are so saddened by Cal’s passing but enriched by having been in his orbit. What an incredible, kind, loving and compassionate individual. Our fond memories of him will never fade.
Brooks and Laurie Davis
We’re sorry to have to say goodbye to Cal and wish we could see that wry smile and twinkle in his eyes once again. Our love and thoughts are with y’all.
Remembering Cal and Jimmy playing Battleship on Christmas morning is ingrained in my memory. Watching them for hours as they each strategized to out-angle the other, was their early training for legal careers. Cal’s laughter will be missed by me and many others. He enjoyed pushing boundaries to get the last laugh. Once he insisted he had enough fuel in the car to get from point A to point B. And he literally coasted into a gas station with me and three others on fumes on our return from the Grand Canyon! Rest In Peace, Cal Lee
I’m very sorry to hear about Cal. He and I represented co-defendants on a case and I recall his kind assistance during a court hearing in which the plaintiff had taken an unreasonable position when I was a young lawyer. He was very helpful and supportive.
Cal was a pillar of the Arizona health law community. The Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys would like to express their deep regrets and sorrow for the loss of this cherished member of the community. He was a valued colleague, a formidable advisory, a friend and a mentor to many.
It was a pleasure and a privilege to know and practice law with Cal. He was a delight to be around and an inspiration as a lawyer and friend. We shared a love of planes, and I still have the airplane model he gave me one year for my birthday. He left us far too early, but I know that there are many in Heaven who now get to enjoy what we enjoyed while Cal was with us. My prayers and thoughts go out to all who who mourn his passing and miss him, but I know the twinkle in his eye lives on in many he touched, including me. Thank God He blessed us with Cal’s life for the time we had with him, and I look forward to seeing his wide smile again the day we are reunited.
I was surprised to learn of Cal’s death. He was one of the first lawyers I met when I arrived in Phoenix from Dallas, Texas. He interviewed me for a position with his law firm. We practiced together for the next eight years. He helped me learn Arizona law and procedure, which was very different from Texas. I respected him as a lawyer and as a person. Over the years, I had the opportunity to meet his wife, brother and his children. His family was important to him. He used to light up when he talked about his family. He was kind and caring. After we both left the firm, we would occasionally meet at a conference, and he always greeted me with a smile and a hug. My heart goes out to Angela, Jim, and the kids. May his memory be a blessing to his family, his clients, and the legal community.