Earl H. Freimer M.D.

FREIMER Earl H. Freimer, M.D., a physician, medical researcher, and teacher, died Monday, May 23, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio, at the age of 84 of heart failure. He was born on Nov 15, 1926, in New York City, the oldest son of Morris and Estelle Freimer (nee Platnick). Dr. Freimer volunteered for service in the US Navy during World War II, serving as a radar operator in Northern Ireland. Following his discharge, he earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and an M.D. from SUNY Upstate Medical School in Syracuse, N.Y. After a medical internship and residency on the Columbia Service at New York's Bellevue Hospital, he began his research career in the Rockefeller Institute laboratory of geneticist Maclyn McCarty studying bacterial diseases. Dr. Freimer continued to do research at the Rockefeller Institute until 1968, and co-authored a total of 40 scientific publications between 1959 and 1997. Dr. Freimer was recruited in 1968 to become one of the co-founders of the newly created Medical College of Ohio (later the University of Toledo Medical Center). There he served as the founding chairman of the Department of Microbiology, as well as founding chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine, during his 30-year career at MCO. Dr. Freimer took a special interest in students from disadvantaged and nontraditional backgrounds, encouraging them as they overcame challenging circumstances to establish successful careers. Dr. Freimer is survived by his wife, Gloria; daughters, Susanna (Tom Wallace) Freimer and Miriam (Ed Levine) Freimer; sons, Martin Freimer and Nelson (Sally Blower) Freimer; brother, Marshall (Betsy) Freimer; and eight grandchildren. Funeral service and burial were held on May 23, 2011, at New Tifereth Israel Cemetery. Contributions can be made to Central Ohio Parkinson's Association - Exercise Program "Delay the Disease", 2800 Corporate Exchange Drive Suite 265, Columbus, OH 43231