MURRAY SACHS

SACHS MURRAY

Born in Lithuania in 1931, Murray Sachs immigrated to America on Thanksgiving Day 1937 with his mother and younger brother. He excelled in his studies and graduated from Taylor-Allderdice High School and matriculated to the University of Pennsylvania in the Wharton School of Business. Murray was diagnosed with tuberculosis in his freshman year and spent nearly a year in a sanatorium outside of Pittsburgh where he developed a passion for medicine, particularly lung disease. Undeterred by this obstacle, he completed college in three years at Washington and Jefferson and earned his medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh in 1957 earning the highest honors. He finished his residency in Internal Medicine at Presbyterian University Hospital in 1960 and went on to complete his fellowship in pulmonology at Georgetown in 1962. He then returned home to be near family in Pittsburgh and to start his practice. In 1966, he met and married Marjorie Fischer. They had two daughters. Murray focused his clinical practice on Shadyside Hospital and became the founding Chief of the Division of Pulmonology, a position he held for 33 years. He built Pittsburgh's first dedicated Pulmonary Unit at Shadyside Hospital. During his tenure as chief of the Pulmonary Service, every resident in medicine rotated through his unit. Many considered it the high point in their training. Murray loved his patients and took time with each one to listen both to the person and to their lungs. He was known as a master diagnostician and teacher and was adored by the nurses on his unit. He was kind, gracious and humorous with everyone he encountered from the head of the hospital to the janitorial service. As one of the most loved physicians at Shadyside Hospital, everyone wanted to be under his care even if it meant waiting hours to see him. Murray cherished his practice of medicine, Judaism, and family. He retired in 2011. Murray is survived by his wife, Marjorie Sachs; his daughters, Dana Sachs and Alison Sachs; his grandchildren, Dylan, Charles, Aidan and Isabella; and his sister, Susan Schalansky. Donations may be sent to the Murray Sachs, MD Lecture Fund, SS Hospital Foundation, 5325 S. Aiken Ave., Suite 302, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 or online at www.shadysidehospitalfoundation.org, specifying a gift in memory of the Murray Sachs Lecture Fund. Donations may also be made in Murray's memory to Chabad House, 715 Hill Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. A service of RALPH SCHUGAR CHAPEL, INC., www.schugar.com