Dr. Harris Alan Berman

Dr. Harris Alan Berman

Brookline, MA — Dr. Harris Alan Berman, Dean Emeritus of the Tufts University School of Medicine, died October 30th, at the age of 83, after an extraordinary life of mastery, generosity, and principle.

He was surrounded by his wife of 57 years, Ruth E. Nemzoff, and their children.

Born in Concord, N.H., to Frederick Berman and Marion "Mitzi" Rubin Berman, he graduated from Harvard College in 1960 and from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1964. That year, he and Ruth were married, drawn together partly by a shared enthusiasm for the prospect of joining the U.S. Peace Corps.

From 1965 to 1967, they served in India, where he was the Peace Corps' chief medical officer.

In 1971, he co-founded the pioneering Matthew Thornton Health Plan, in Nashua, N.H., and, in 1986, he became CEO of Tufts Health Plan, which he led for 17 years. At Tufts, he served as dean from 2011 to 2019. A board member of the Apple Hill Chamber Players and the Celebrity Series, he was also a proud spouse, joining Ruth in her capacity as an author, which led her to hundreds of speaking occasions in six countries.

Throughout his life, he embodied the commitment to leave the world better than he found it. In his final days, even as his body failed him, he never flagged. A young doctor-in-training approached his bed, and promised to be quick. Harris replied, "I'm a medical educator. Take all the time you need."

In addition to Ruth, his survivors include four children and their spouses: Kim Berman and Farzad Mostashari, Seth Berman and Mandy Lee Berman, Rebecca Berman and Franklin Huang, Sarabeth Berman and Evan Osnos; sister Phyllis E. Berman; nephews Michael Wade and Jeffrey Wade; and 11 grandchildren: Samson, Ana-Sophia, Aidan, Ellie, Zoe, Zach, Asa, Esme, Cy, Ollie, and Rosie.

A full tribute is at now.tufts.edu/articles/tufts-university-school-medicine-dean-emeritus-harris-berman-dies .

Public funeral services will be held in-person, and via livestream, at Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward St., Newton Centre, MA, on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, at 10 a.m. Online, it will be visible at www.templeemanuel.com/livestream-links .

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Harris A. Berman, MD and Ruth E. Nemzoff Endowed Fund at Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA, 02111, or online at go.tufts.edu/HarrisBerman.