Meet Your Great Neighbor - Dr. Richard Agnew
By: Andrea Fine
There aren’t many people who can honestly say they have joyfully impacted more than 25,000 lives, but Newport Beach resident and retired OBGYN, Dr. Richard Agnew has. He has delivered more than 9,000 bundles of joy, including my three, to families throughout Michigan and California.
Richard Courtney Agnew was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Mumford High School before receiving his undergraduate degree in pre-med from the University of Michigan in 1958. He went on to receive his medical degree in 1966 from Western Ontario Medical School. After completing his residency at Wayne State in Detroit, Dr. Agnew practiced with his father, a prominent OBGYN. He spent the next two years serving our country as a member of the U.S. Navy. Upon exiting the Navy in 1969, Dr. Agnew and his family settled in San Jose. He and his first wife welcomed their daughter Leslie in 1968, and in 1970 Lisa was born. In 1978, after his divorce was finalized, Dr. Agnew moved with his girls to Newport Beach.
His first home was on Port Cardiff in Harbor View Hills. After getting settled, he joined a social group for single parents. In July of 1979, he met Katharine Stoner, a Newport Beach resident and single mother of five. The two were married at The Five Crowns in November. The newly blended family of seven soon became nine as Dr. and Mrs. Agnew welcomed twins Richard and Rebecca in 1980. That same year, Dr. Agnew began a two-year stint as Chair of OBGYN at Hoag Hospital. He hired Dr. Lawrence Werlin and started Hoag’s infertility program together. During this time, he also opened his own practice. In 1985, their daughter Elizabeth was born to complete their modern-day “Yours, Mine and Ours” family.
Following in his dad’s footsteps, Dr. Agnew’s practice became a family affair as his wife Katharine and later daughters Rebecca and Elizabeth worked alongside him in the office. When asked what he loved most about his work, Dr. Agnew told me, “being able to bring joy into the world. On my busiest weekend, I did so 14 times. That’s a lot of happiness!” Dr. Agnew continued delivering little bundles of joy until he retired in December of 2020. Upon his retirement, Hoag honored him with his own brick on their Walk of Fame. I’m certain many readers can attest to the love, care, and dedication that Dr. Agnew showed to each and every patient.
Today Dr. Agnew stays active and finds joy in pursuing his golf game, taking pilates classes, and spending time with his ten children, 18 grandkids, and two great-grandchildren; they are all lovingly being watched from above by Katharine, who sadly passed away in May of 2019. Dr. Agnew continues the philanthropic work they were both so passionate about by donating to Cystic Fibrosis, The American Heart Association, Planned Parenthood, and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America.
