Joe P. Tupin

Dr. Joe Tupin died September 8, 2024 in Davis, California. He was 90 years old. In the words of the great country singer Willy Nelson, Dr. Tupin was a “walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction.” His tales of growing up in Comanche Texas were legend and ranged from working at his dad’s gas station, to an unfortunate incident involving chewing tobacco and roller-skating, to the Boy Scout Jamboree. His potential was recognized early in life when the local newspaper featured an article about Dr. Tupin’s Spanish class presentation entitled "The Past, Present, and Future of the Toothpick."

Highlights of Dr. Tupin’s days at the University of Texas, Austin, include being selected as the “Best Boy” by the Fathers’ Club; staging a fake raid of the local brothel compelling clients to escape by leaping out the windows; getting “promoted” to flag bearer instead of clarinet player in the university band; and meeting his future wife, Betty Thompson. Dr. Tupin subsequently attended pharmacy school where he became interested in the first psychotropic drugs that were emerging in the 1950’s. When a mentor suggested that he could work with “people instead of rats,” he decided to enter medical school at University of Texas (UT) Galveston. Following medical school, Dr. Tupin completed a one-year transitional internship at the University of California San Francisco, and then returned to Galveston to complete a residency in psychiatry. He then did a one-year clinical research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. 

Dr. Tupin began his first faculty position at the University of California Davis in 1969 which was then only a small medical school with 60 faculty. The medical school graduated its first class in 1972. He described the excitement of being at a “new school with new ideas” and having the chance to change medical school curriculum from what he viewed as antiquated. In the Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Tupin was appointed by the chair, Donald Langsley, as the first Director of Research. Dr Tupin was subsequently appointed by the Dean as the Assistant Dean, and then the Associate Dean in the UC Davis School of Medicine. While Director of Research in the department, he accomplished groundbreaking work on lithium after it was discovered serendipitously in Australia to have mood stabilizing properties. Dr. Tupin succeeded in getting the first FDA approval for lithium.

Dr. Tupin rose to become Chair of the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry in 1975 after Dr. Langsley left the Department. The Department at that time had 40 faculty and was largely focused on community mental health. A dispute with the County led to a termination of the contract with the University and the reconfiguration of the Department. Dr. Tupin described having to “start all over” and jokingly described the Chairmanship as the “worst job I ever had.” Despite this, he was able to rebuild the Department into more of a traditional academic research unit. His skills would later be parlayed into becoming the Chair of the Quality-of-Care Committee and subsequently Medical Director for UC Davis Hospital, a role he would retain until his retirement in 1992. In this latter role, colleagues have commented on his skill in steering the medical center through unprecedented difficult times with his unique ability to “calm the waters.” Per these peers, Dr. Tupin is responsible for UC Davis Hospital “rising like a phoenix from the ashes.” In a lifetime of accomplishments, one of Dr. Tupin’s proudest moments was when he was conferred a named professorship by UCD Health. He felt that all of his hard work was recognized and rewarded. As he said many times “I may not be the smartest, but I work the hardest.”

In his retirement, he loved to spend time fishing, collecting art (especially that of UC Davis faculty) and listening to country western music, with Willie Nelson being a big favorite. Dr. Tupin was a bright, serious “go-getter,” but he was also charming, funny, patient and willing to be silly. Several Davis residents remember seeing him “fishing” with son John in the local drainage ditch on Covell. And many witnesses will attest to his ten-minute, interactive conversation at daughter Rebecca’s sorority house that consisted of only two words: “Oh” and “Wow.” When son Paul cut holes in the doors of Dr. Tupin’s Mercedes for new speakers, he focused on the improved sound system, not the destruction.

Dr. Tupin had two great loves in his lifetime: Betty Thompson and Ruth Kinsella. He and Betty were married for 53 years, raised three children, and shared many adventures together. Upon Betty’s death, Ruth became his constant companion over the last seven years of his life. In addition to UCD Health, Dr. Tupin was an avid supporter of the Aggie Football team, the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts and the Davis Democrats. Until his death, Dr. Tupin enjoyed good company, fine wine, and music well-played. He is survived by Ruth; children Paul, Rebecca and John; and grandchildren Heather, Andrew, Maddie, Emma, Ashley, Faith and Hailey.

Dr. Tupin’s wonderful archival interview about his life and career can be found here:
https://video.ucdavis.edu/media/Joe+Tupin/0_8k00sy21

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