Paul Allan Ironside M.D.

1935 - 2019

September 29, 1935 - May 26, 2019
Dr. Paul Allan Ironside, Jr., noted cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, passed away May 26, 2019.
He is survived by his children Sabrina Ironside of Marina del Rey, CA; Isabella Christine Slay (Ray) of Santa Clarita, CA; Paul Ironside (Donna) of Lafayette, CO; as well as his four grandchildren.
Born in Camden, NJ, to Dr. Paul Allan Ironside, Sr. and Sara Jane (Mahaffey) Ironside, he was known to family and friends as ""Sonny."" He was a graduate of Haddonfield Memorial High School (1953) and Mercersburg Academy (1954) where he sang in the school choir, competed in the Penn Relays and earned varsity letters for track. He graduated from Washington and Lee University (1958), where he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity and ran on the University's track team.
Following in his father's and grandfather's footsteps, Dr. Ironside attended Hahnemann Medical College (now Drexel University College of Medicine) graduating in 1962. He completed his general surgical residency at Pennsylvania Hospital, and his thoracic and vascular residencies at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Hospital of the Good Samaritan in Los Angeles.
On December 31, 1965, Paul married Faith Ann Slevin in Cherry Hill, NJ, and together they had 3 children. The couple settled in Thousand Oaks, CA, where they raised their children and Paul would open a successful private practice. Though the couple eventually divorced, they remained friends throughout his life.
For over 35 years, Dr. Ironside was a highly-skilled Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon, practicing in multiple Los Angeles area hospitals including Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, West Hills, Simi Valley, Calabasas, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Lancaster, Palmdale, and Palm Desert, as well as Lakeway Regional Hospital in Morristown, TN, for a brief time.
One of his most memorable experiences was the evening of June 5, 1968. After winning the California primary and delivering a victory speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, Senator Robert Kennedy was shot en route to a news conference. He was transported to the Hospital of the Good Samaritan where Dr. Ironside, a Cardiovascular and Thoracic Resident, was called in to perform a tracheotomy and blood transfusion. The procedures kept his airway clear and ensured a steady supply of oxygen to his brain, but Senator Kennedy would ultimately succumb to his injuries and passed away hours later.
In the 1970s, Dr. Ironside took up aviation and love to fly his Beechcraft Baron for work and recreation. His passion for all things aviation led his family and friends on many incredible adventures.
He was a huge fan of college football, always cheering on his daughters' alma mater the USC Trojans. He took up golf in his 50s and soon began to play with his son and his friends, eventually relocating to the Palm Desert area where he could play more frequently.
Paul had a huge heart, an adventurous spirit, and lived life on his own terms. Remembering his large, loud and hearty laugh will bring much comfort to those who loved him.
Those who knew and loved Dr. Paul A. Ironside, Jr. are welcome to join his family for a Memorial Service on June 29 at 3:00 P.M. at Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles. The family has requested that Memorial Contributions be made to Trinity Classical Academy in Valencia and the Westmark School in Encino.