Dr. George KOTSCH

KOTSCH, Dr. George Dr. George Kotsch died Jan. 8, at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater. He was 93 years old. Dr. Kotsch was born Sept. 21, 1919, in Egypt, PA. He served his country in World War II as a Captain in the Infantry. He attended Philadelphia College of Medicine and graduated with his medical degree in 1952. He interned at Grand Rapids Osteopathic Hospital. In 1955, he did his residency in internal medicine at Doctors Hospital, in Columbus, OH. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine from California College of Medicine in 1964. Dr. Kotsch moved to Largo in 1965, when he joined Sun Coast Osteopathic Hospital. He was the Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at Sun Coast from 1965-1985, and founded the Sun Coast Internal Medicine Consultants, a practice that still operates today. Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine and Nuclear Medicine, 1968; Fellow in the American College of Osteopathic Internists, 1985; Life Member of the American Osteopathic Association; American College of Osteopathic Internists; Florida Osteopathic Medical Society; and Pinellas County Osteopathic Society. He went on to complete a course in Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound and was involved in teaching and training externs, interns, and residents at Sun Coast Hospital from 1965 until his retirement in 1990. George attended Christ the King Lutheran Church in Largo. He was an avid golfer, with memberships at Feather Sound and Belleair Country Clubs. He was predeceased by his first wife Myrtle in 1982, and his daughter, Karla Kotsch Parker in 1999. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Marie. He was adopted as a father by Marie's two daughters, Dawn Lute Douglas and Denise Lute Ehrlich, and Denise's husband Carl. Dawn's two children, Beau and Daphne Rightmyer, grew up their entire lives with "Georgie" as their grandfather. He was loved and adored by the entire family, including Beau's wife Marcella and their two children, Gabriella and Lilliana. George is also survived by his brother Dr. Charles Kotsch of Harrisburg, PA. Services will be held at Moss Feaster Funereal Home, Largo, on Saturday Jan. 12, with visitation starting at 3 pm, service at 4 pm. Interment at Serenity Gardens Memorial Park will take place Sunday morning at 11 am. Memorials may be given in honor of Dr. George Kotsch to the Abilities Foundation Inc., 2735 Whitney Rd., Clearwater, FL 33760, for the benefit of returning veterans.