This is the text of the commemorative plaque explaining the memorial stained glass window located in the Guedel Center.

Who was Dr. Margaret Blumenfeld and why is there a memorial window to her in the Guedel Center? She was a fine anesthesiologist and a truly unique person who had many ties to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, she followed her brother, Serge, into medicine and graduated from the Women's Medical College in St. Petersburg with distinction. The Russian Revolution marked the start of her world-wide journey. First she went to France, where her brother Joseph was working in Pierre & Marie Curie's lab. Next was Shanghai, where she joined her brother Serge in his successful medical practice. Fatigue and hemoptysis led to the diagnosis of oat cell carcinoma in San Francisco. She returned to Shanghai, without having surgery, to continue her deceased brother's practice.

A year later, still active and practicing with characteristic vigor, she returned to San Francisco for re-evaluation. Surgery then revealed a non-malignant bronchial adenoma. This experience led to a new interest in anesthesia. Although she returned to Shanghai, her time there was brief. She fled in 1948 just ahead of the invading communists, to San Francisco and a career in anesthesiology.

She had difficulty obtaining a medical license because her medical school, now Leningrad University, refused to release her records. Special positions in anesthesia were made for her by Dr. William Neff, Chair of the Division of Anesthesia at Stanford. Finally, she obtained a medical license in New York, through the influence of her California friends who included many prestigious medical men. She did and anesthesia residency at Albany Medical College under Dr. Marcel Harmel and then passed both the American College and American Board of Anesthesiology exams, being the oldest candidate to sit for these examinations. She later followed Dr. Harmel to the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn and was attending anesthesiologist at the Kings County Medical Center.

Plagued by renal problems, she became ill while on a trip to San Francisco and spent the rest of her life here. She died on June 8, 1975.

Dr Blumfeld left an imperishable impression with all who knew her She had a special regard for a young people in training. The richness of her language and her ability and judgement became legendary. Her attention and care, not only professionally but personally, to all who came in contact with her, created a bond and relationship that was unique in every way. She celebrated life. All who knew her loved her and none will ever forget her.