Dr. Paul L. Dratch

1938 - 2017

Dr. Paul Leon Dratch, 78, died at home, on October 5, 2017, of complications from acute myeloid leukemia. Born Nov 29, 1938 in Somerville MA., he was the son of Benjamin and Clara (Turok) Dratch. Paul graduated Boston Latin School 1956 and went on to study at Harvard University (BA 1960.) He graduated from Tufts Medical School in 1964, and went on to train at Baltimore City Hospital, Yale/New Haven hospital, Graduate Hospital of Philadelphia and Boston City Hospital. He joined as a radiologist at Mount Auburn Hospital, where he practiced from 1971 until January 2017. He also served as Captain in the US Army Reserve, Medical Corps from 1965-1971. Paul is survived by his wife Elaine (Soloway), and his children, Rachel Dratch, of New York CIty, and Daniel Dratch, of Los Angeles, CA, and his wife Mary Trahan. He was a doting grandfather to his grandson, Eli Dratch Wahl and loved playing construction workers with his "little buddy." Paul is also survived by his sister Mary Rosenfield, his brothers Nathan (Helayne), and Morris (Gladys); is predeceased by brother Joseph and sister Claire Dratch Feldberg. He's also survived by Eli's dad, John Wahl, sisters-in-law Susan Williamson and husband Jack; Jane Soloway and husband Mitchell Moody, and Debra Sobin and husband Stanley. He leaves behind many nieces and nephews who loved their "life-of-the-party" uncle. Paul was a member of the Lexington Bicentennial Band for 40 years, where he played the euphonium. He also loved directing the Journal Club for the radiology residents at Mount Auburn, as here he got the chance to display his rare comic abilities which were well-known to all who crossed his path, and which he passed on to his children, both of whom pursued careers in comedy. (Rachel as a former cast member of "Saturday Night Live" and Daniel as a writer on "Monk" and other shows.) These past few years he thoroughly enjoyed his lifelong learning classes through BOLLI at Brandeis and Llaic. In addition to being a loving husband, father and grandfather, Paul was a voracious reader, who loved spending time on Cape Cod with his family. During summer months, he could often be spotted on Cold Storage Beach in Dennis, MA reading a giant history book.