Melvin Hershkowitz

Hyattsville - Melvin Hershkowitz, M.D., passed away February 16, 2025, at home in Hyattsville, MD, surrounded by two of his grandchildren and his son Paul. He was 102 years old. Melvin was born in New York City in January 1923 to Dr. Benjamin and Esther (Rosenstrauch) Hershkowitz. He graduated from the Horace Mann School in NYC and enrolled at Columbia University. After graduation, Melvin attended NYU Medical School's accelerated program prior to military service. While at NYU, he met and married Joanna Lega.

Although performing well in the sciences during his education, and becoming a distinguished and well-respected doctor, he also had great strengths as a writer. He traveled all over the world with each of his three wives, and wrote wonderful, insightful letters to friends about their travels

Dr. Hershkowitz served in the US Army as an officer at the end of WWII in 1946-47 during the occupation of Japan.. He returned to the US, finished his residency in internal medicine, and entered private practice in New York City in 1951. He had a successful and varied career in private practice, public administration, and teaching. In 1971 he became Associate Director of Medicine at Jersey City Medical Center, rising to Director in 1978. In 1980 he moved to Washington DC and re-entered private practice, from which he retired in 1991. He had a long and distinguished teaching career, primarily in physical and clinical diagnosis (NYU Medical School, 1951-70, George Washington University in DC, 1981-91, and Brown University Medical School, Providence RI, 1991-2004).

In 2010 he and his third wife (Leslie Hershkowitz) moved from Providence to Northampton, MA to be near his daughter Marie. After the death of his wife and his daughter in 2013, he stayed in Northampton until 2020, when he moved to Hyattsville, MD to be near his son's and oldest granddaughter's families.

Melvin is survived by his son Paul Hershkowitz (Judy); his granddaughters Ann Hershkowitz (Dameon Green) of Hyattsville, MD and Mary Farkas (Michael) of Cold Spring, NY; his son-in-law Steve Hathaway of Northampton, MA; his grandsons Ben Hathaway (Karina) of Arlington, MA and Sam Hathaway (Kelsey Trimmer) of Chapel Hill NC; four great-grandchildren; and his cousin Connie Sussman of Great Barrington, MA. He was pre-deceased by his children Miles and Marie, and his wives: Joanna (Lega), Margaret (Hunter), and Leslie (Hubbard).

A Life Celebration was held on March 8, 2025, in Hyattsville. Donations in his name can be made to the Forbes Library (Northampton, MA), Columbia University, the NYU Langone School of Medicine, Providence (RI) Public Library, or the Horace Mann School in New York City.