Dr. Fraser was born in Staten Island, New York. He received a BA in English from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, in 1968, and then a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Southern California in 1972. In 1976, he received his doctorate in rehabilitation psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He also earned a master’s of public administration from Seattle University in 1984, and was a certified rehabilitation counselor and certified life care planner.
Dr. Fraser’s long connection to the University of Washington began in 1976, when he worked as a consultant for a job placement program with the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. In 1977, Dr. Fraser became the Director of the Neurological Vocational Services Unit, a position he would hold until his passing. Through the 80’s and 90’s, Dr. Fraser held positions with the departments of neurology, neurological surgery, and rehabilitation medicine. He attained the rank of professor in 1991, with dual appointments in the departments of neurological surgery and rehabilitation medicine.
As a researcher, Dr. Fraser was principal or co-investigator on projects that received tens of millions in grant funding, and authored or coauthored more than 140 publications. He was awarded two World Rehabilitation Fund fellowships to review, respectively, the post-acute traumatic brain injury programs in Israel and epilepsy rehabilitation advances in Scandinavia and Holland. He is the recipient of two American Rehabilitation Counseling Association Research Awards, and an Epilepsy Foundation of America Career Achievement Award. Dr. Fraser was a past-president of Rehabilitation Psychology, Div. 22 of the American Psychological Association and a Fellow in the Division, a former Board member of the Epilepsy Foundation of America (EFA), a PAB member of the Epilepsy Foundation Northwest, and a former member of the Board of Governors for the International Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers.
Throughout his career, Dr. Fraser—or Dr. Bob, as his patients called him—was passionate about helping individuals with neurological conditions gain independence. He loved what he did, and shared that joy with his friends, family, and colleagues. He made a tremendous difference in the lives of thousands of people. He will be missed.