Paul U. Strauss M.D.

1928 - 2017

Paul U. Strauss, M.D. January 12, 1928 - November 3, 2017 La Jolla Dr. Paul U. Strauss, a San Diego psychiatrist and business owner, passed away on November 3, 2017 in La Jolla, California due to complications from pulmonary fibrosis. He was 89 years old. Dr. Strauss was born in Lansing, Michigan, the son of German immigrants, Dr. Arnold Strauss and Helene Marie Stelting. After serving in the United States Army Air Corps from 1946-1947, Dr. Strauss graduated from Wayne University in 1949 with a degree in electrical engineering. He spent a year working in the Panama Canal Zone as an engineer before he decided to change careers to medicine, following in the footsteps of his father. In 1958, Dr. Strauss received his medical degree from the University of Michigan. He met his wife, Anita Wuertz, while completing his residency in Denver, Colorado.In 1964, Dr. Strauss accepted a job offer to serve as a psychiatrist with San Diego Community Mental Health Services and moved with his wife and young son Brian to San Diego. Dr. Strauss later went into private practice and forensic psychiatry. It was his true passion to help the thousands of patients whom he treated during his 53-year career in San Diego. He had no desire to retire from a job that he loved, and continued treating patients until one month before his death. Dr. Strauss' inquisitive mind and interest in creating a legacy for his family spurred him to invest in real estate and other enterprises starting in the early 1970's. He ultimately formed a family real estate company that is now run by his children. Dr. Strauss also was the proud owner of a local preschool, Fleur De Lis School, along with his wife. Dr. Strauss' passions were not limited to psychiatry and business. He cared deeply about civil liberties, reproductive rights, and the environment. He received an award from the Coalition for Reproductive Choice in 2007 for being a defender of choice and was a proud supporter of Planned Parenthood, ACLU, KPBS, Emily's List, the Zoological Society of San Diego, and other similar organizations.Another strong passion of Dr. Strauss' was gardening. He frequented nurseries looking for new plants and flowers to add to his garden, and he belonged to many gardening societies, including the Hemerocallis Society (daylilies). He also loved to travel with his wife and listening to music, including the waltzes of Johann Strauss (with whom he enjoyed sharing a surname) and New Orleans jazz. As a first-generation American who worked his way out of poverty after his father died when he was seven years old, Dr. Strauss felt strongly about empowering others through education and facilitating health advancements. As a result, he endowed two professorships at his alma mater, Wayne State University, to facilitate research into engineering and computer applications that improve medical care. Dr. Strauss is survived by his wife of 55 years, Anita Strauss of La Jolla, his four adult children who live in San Diego: Brian Strauss, Kathleen Strauss (Scott Hawes), Diana Strauss Casey (Kevin Casey) and Randy Strauss (Paige Seeger Strauss), seven beautiful grandchildren (Julia, Ashley, Isabella, Courtney, Eliza, John and Hannah), and his nieces Sasha Kaufman and Beatrice Kaufman of Seattle, Washington and nephew Jim Kaufman of Cambridge, U.K. He was predeceased by his sister, Hildegard Kaufman. A memorial service will be held for Dr. Strauss on November 18 at 3 p.m. at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, located at 4190 Front Street in Hillcrest.