RICHARD STREIFF

STREIFF,
DR. RICHARD (DICK)
Dr. Richard (Dick) Streiff MD of Gainesville, Florida passed away on February 14, 2018 at the age of 88. He was born June 1, 1929 in Highland, Illinois. He graduated from Highland High School, Washington University in Saint Louis, MO, and attended Universitat Basel medical school in Basel, Switzerland, before completing his internship and residency at Boston City Hospital (Harvard Medical School). Dr. Streiff was a member of the Gainesville medical community for the past 50 years, becoming a faculty member of the University of Florida College of Medicine in 1968.
Through the University's Veterans Affairs affiliation, he held prominent VA roles as Chief of Hematology, Chief of Medicine, and Associate Chief of Staff for Education. As a Professor of Medicine and an internationally recognized researcher, Dr. Streiff has trained thousands of individuals - medical students, resident physicians, clinical researchers, and medical school and hospital executives. These grateful individuals now look back knowing how fortunate they were to learn from one of the nation's best. While teaching has been his primary emphasis, Dr. Streiff's sensitivity and compassionate spirit has made him the quintessential role model of the academic physician whose research has focused on cancer and iron-overload related diseases. He was, in fact, one of the country's foremost experts in the treatment of iron overload. Dr. Ray Bergeron, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, credits Dr. Streiff for his critical role in the development of four new drugs that have been taken into human clinical trials for the treatment of these conditions.
Although he 'retired' from the University of Florida and Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in 2001, Dr. Streiff continued 'giving back' for over a decade by volunteering his time at the VA Medical Center. He continued to treat VA patients, consult with colleagues on difficult cases, interview applicants for residency positions, and help those who sought his counsel or who had questions and concerns about health issues. He always made time for anyone in need no matter how busy his schedule. He was not only a giving individual but also a walking encyclopedia of medical information.
Dr. Streiff was devoted to his family and faith. He is survived by his wife of over 58 years, Jenny Kerr Streiff; his three children, Dr. Michael Streiff (Lauren) of Owing Mills, MD, Andrew Streiff (Connie) of Charlotte, NC; and Gabrielle Gause (Mark) of Mt. Pleasant, SC; as well as four grandchildren, Zachary, Madeline, Samantha and William.
He was a member of the Vestry and a longtime parishioner of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Gainesville FL. An internationally known Winston Churchill scholar, Dr. Streiff was the coordinator of the Churchill Centre of North Florida. He had visited almost every place Churchill has been and hosted Churchill's granddaughter on her visit here.
Whether at UF's College of Medicine or the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Dr. Streiff was an institution. Ever cheerful and upbeat, he was universally liked and admired. He touched and enriched the lives of countless patients, colleagues, and staff. He WAS the doctor's doctor.
A memorial service will be held on March 3, 2018, at 2PM, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 100 NE 1st Street, Gainesville FL 32601. For those who wish, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, Alzheimer's Association, or the Gainesville Fisher House.
Arrangements are in the care of MILAM FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICES, 311 S. Main St., Gainesville, Florida, 352-376-5361, www.milamfh.com.