Lawrence Benjamin Erlich

Lawrence Benjamin Erlich, devoted husband, father and grandfather, died on August 21, 2016. He was 78.

He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and he attended the University of Pennsylvania from undergraduate through medical school. Dr. Erlich forewent his dream of being a rock star to become a physician. He completed his internship and residency in Tacoma and Seattle, Washington. He then accepted a position at University of Florida in the student health department, where he developed an affinity for The Gators— much to the disappointment of his future children. He served as a battalion surgeon in the Navy before returning home to train in psychiatry in order to fill a growing need for care after the Vietnam War. Dr. Erlich would spend his career on the forefront of addiction medicine and forensic psychiatry. He was always happy to consider an alternative to his own perspective, and he loved broadening his understanding.

He married his wife, Bonnie, in 1980, and they would rarely be seen apart for the 36 years that they spent together. Dr. Erlich said that he knew he would marry his wife the second that he met her, and he made good on that less than one year later.

Throughout his life, he never stopped studying. Though his accomplishments in his career were plenty, he considered his family his greatest achievement. He was the proud father of four children, and the family welcomed their first grandchild in July 2016. Spending time with his family was paramount to all other obligations, and he dedicated himself to fatherhood. His children were never far from his thoughts and were often at his kitchen table.

Dr. Erlich loved football, music, theater, comic books, Chinese food and Doctor Who. He could frequently be found in intense discussion about any one of these subjects. He proudly called himself an “Apple fanboy,” and he was rarely spotted without his iPhone in hand. He loved both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and refused to pick a side.

Dr. Erlich is survived by his wife, Bonnie Levy Erlich; sons, Joshua Erlich of Arlington, Virginia, Matthew Erlich of Tallahassee, Florida and David Erlich of Orlando, Florida; daughter, Lauren Howard and son-in-law Kyle Howard of Orlando, Florida; and granddaughter Penelope Howard.