Lawrence Port

It is with great sadness that we announce that Lawrence Port passed on March 31, 2024 at age 92. Born in Auburn, NY to Ephraim and Juliet Port, he and his older brother Alan grew up in Syracuse, NY. He graduated Nottingham High School in 1949. He then completed a seven-year college and medical school program in 1957 during which he was awarded Phi Beta Kappa honors and made a member of the national medical honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha. He graduated from medical school in 1957 and completed his general intern rotation at Philadelphia General Hospital. He went on to serve his country as a medical Captain in the US Army for two years, before returning to Syracuse to complete his four-year Internal Medicine Residency at Upstate Medical College.
In 1956, he met Dilys Skolnik at a Syracuse University sorority open house and they began dating, with him driving back from Philadelphia frequently to see her. He and Dilys and her identical twin sister Perrie and Dick Greene, were married in a double ring ceremony on the twins 21st birthday, only two days after Valentine's Day, on February 16th, 1957.
He and Dilys had three children, Amy Ma, Linda Port and Karen Kleve. He had two sons in law, Gary Ma and Brian Kleve and four grandchildren, Joshua Port, Matthew Port, Andrew Kleve and Kayla Kleve. Larry's first priority was always his family who he loved, encouraged, supported and cherished and who loved him equally in return. His affection for his family expanded as the family did, growing to including Andrew's wife Stephanie and Gary's mother, Gaelic Ma. In addition, the close loving relationship between the twin sisters fostered a lifelong loving connection between the Port and Greene families. Sharing in our loss as fully as they have shared in our lives are his sister-in-law, Perrie Greene, brother-in-law, Dick Greene, nieces Kimberly Greene and Lisa Bradburn and Lisa's children, Kyle Morris and Tori Morris and their families. He will be sorely missed as a husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle and friend.
His other passions including practicing medicine. He was one of the few lucky people who loved his work. He enjoyed the challenge involved in diagnosis as well as treating and getting to know his patients. He was known for his sense of humor and many patients would save up jokes to share with Dr. Port during their annual physicals. He was in private practice on University Ave near the Syracuse University Campus from 1964 to 2003. Early in his practice he served as the Medical Director at the Jewish Home and began work as a part time medical examiner, something he continued doing for many years. He worked at Upstate Medical Center in Student Health, was Co-Director of Medical Care at Hutchings Psychiatric. He also served on the admissions committee for the Upstate Medical School. He also enjoyed reviewing medical cases for a medical insurance company and giving his opinion on the treatment provided.
After leaving private practice and moving to Florida, he worked as a volunteer physician at Caridad Clinic Medical Center in Florida for 15 years. He had been made a member of the Caridad Board and was looking forward to that role when the pandemic intervened.
He and the other owners of the University Ave office building generously donated the building to the Temple Society of Concord. He had a special relationship with the Temple as his parents, he and his family attended there for years. He was a lifelong believer in equality and fairness, which he supported in both words and action.
He loved traveling, enjoyed tennis and loved sailing on Skaneateles and Cazenovia Lakes and was an enthusiastic Syracuse University sports fan.
If moved to make a donation in his honor, the family asks that you consider The Leukemia And Lymphoma Society or the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University.
The family and a few close friends will be gathering in a private ceremony in his honor.