Hildegard Hirsch M.D.

GENEVA – Hildegard Hirsch M. D. (nee Moses) died on Tuesday (March 5, 2013) at 100 years of age.
There will be no prior calling hours. A graveside services will be held at a later date in Geneva.
Contributions to Temple Beth-El, 755 South Main Street, Geneva, NY 14456.
Born in Berlin, Germany, Hildegard married Erich Hirsch and left in 1933 as Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. She headed to Pisa Italy where she had to learn a new language and attended medical school (very rare for a woman in the 1930s); she graduated in 1938 and moved to upstate Geneva, New York where she passed the New York State medical exams in 1939 (in another new language). She successfully practiced general family medicine for many years (retired in 1980 at 68 years of age). She became the first female president of the medical staff at the local hospital as well as a founding member of the first synagogue in Geneva, New York. Hildegard moved to Waverly Heights Retirement Community in Gladwyne Penn., with her husband Erich in 1998, where she spent the remainder of her days with visits from family and making many new friends.
Hildegard is survived by her two children, Peter Hirsch and Lillian Stern Herczfeld; five grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. She will be missed.
For those wishing to write a note of condolence, please visit http://www.devaneybennettfh.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the DeVaney-Bennett Funeral Home.