Jerome Lee Rubin M.D.

1944 - 2018

Jerome Lee Rubin, MD
June 29, 1944 - October 16, 2018
Carmel
Dr. Jerry Rubin, beloved physician to thousands on the Monterey Peninsula, died at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula after a valiant battle with acute myelogenous leukemia. A private burial service has been held at El Carmelo Cemetery.
Dr. Rubin was born in Richmond, Virginia to Dr. Abraham and Rose Levinson Rubin. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York and attended Erasmus Hall High, where he met his wife-to-be, Suellen Safir. They married in 1966. After attending Cornell University, Dr. Rubin graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and also completed a residency there in Internal Medicine. The Rubins moved to Boston, where Dr. Rubin completed a dual residency in hematology and oncology at Beth Israel Hospital, a Harvard affiliate. The family then moved to Fort Knox, where Dr. Rubin served as a major in the U.S. Army treating cancer patients and assisting in nuclear medicine and some surgeries.
In 1974, the Rubin family, which now included two daughters, moved to Carmel, and Dr. Rubin began his 44 year medical career. He was awarded CHOMP Physician of the Year in 2002. Soon after beginning practice, Dr. Rubin began offering support groups for his patients, called the Cancer Recovery Project. This project grew into the Hospice of the Monterey Peninsula in a remodeled house in Carmel Valley. Working with Assemblyman Sam Farr in Sacramento and Rep. Leon Panetta in D.C., Dr. Rubin spurred the implementation of hospice legislation that has enabled hospice funding nationally. As the need for local Hospice beds grew, Dr. Rubin was instrumental in developing the 27-bed Hospice House in Monterey (now Westland House). Dr. Rubin was awarded the Heart of Hospice Award in 2003.
Dr. Rubin served as President of Congregation Beth Israel during the development and building of their present facility in Carmel. He also helped found the first AIDS clinic here, Outpatient Immunology Services (OPIS), now part of CHOMP.
Throughout his busy years here, Dr. Rubin always found time for his family as a loving husband and father. He coached his daughters' softball games through their elementary and high school years, even before the advent of cell phones! Jerry and Suellen enjoyed and supported many local musical offerings here: Monterey Jazz Festival, Monterey Symphony, Carmel Bach Festival and Carmel Music Society.
Dr. Rubin is survived by his wife Suellen, their two daughters Nancy and Emily (Monique Mikrut), his sister Gail (Mike Myshrall) of Tacoma, WA, grandchildren Maya and Bethany Mikrut of Atlanta and Zachary and Sienna Farfan of Carmel, and cousins Toby and David Eisenberg of La Jolla.
The family would like to thank Dr. Rubin's colleague physicians and staff of Pacific Cancer Care and especially Drs. Michael (Zach) Koontz and Nancy Rubin for their loving and attentive care throughout his illness, the rehabilitative staff of Westland House, and the CHOMP nurses, doctors and laboratory assistants who so kindly attended to him in him final days.
There will be a Celebration of Life for Dr. Rubin on Sunday, December 30 at 2 pm at Congregation Beth Israel. Save the date. Donations in his memory may be made to Hospice of the Central Coast (Montage Health/HOCC), 40 Ryan Court, Suite 200, Monterey 93940 or to any of his other charities mentioned above.
Condolences may be written to the family at
www.bermudezfamilyfunerals.com


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