David Grubman

1924 - 2015

David Grubman, M.D.

August 7, 1924 - March 23, 2015

David Grubman of Berkeley, CA passed away peacefully in his home of congestive heart failure at the age of 90, on March 23, 2015. He is survived by his three children, Michael Grubman (Julia), Daniel Grubman, Barbara Grubman Alameda (Dan), his wife Lucy Scott and her two children, Cynthia Scott (Denis) and Susan Scott, his grandchildren Rebecca Grubman, Jessica Grubman, Madeline Grubman, Joshua Alameda, Benjamin Alameda and Joseph Alameda.
David was born in the Bronx, New York to Gedalia and Ida Grubman, growing up in a one-bedroom apartment. He graduated from DeWitt-Clinton High School and soon after joined the Army during WW II. He graduated from The University of Indiana School of Medicine in 1948. He then continued his residency in General Surgery at New York Hospital and Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco.
In 1955, he married his first wife, Doris Willner, and started his medical practice in Hayward, CA, on staff at St. Rose and Eden Hospitals. Michael, Daniel and Barbara were born during the next few years. After his divorce in 1971, he moved to Berkeley, CA and started his general practice near the University. He was on staff at the former Herrick Hospital and Alta Bates in Berkeley. Soon after moving to Berkeley, he met his second wife, Lucy Scott, a clinical psychologist. Together, they made their home in the Berkeley hills. Before and after retiring in 1984, he volunteered with the Peace Corp and other organizations as a physician on assignments in Israel, Vietnam, Togo, Nepal and Samoa.
David was a true lover of classical music, and took up playing the violin at age 36. He played in the Hayward Orchestra, and later was a member of the Kensington Symphony for many years until age 88. At his 90th birthday party, he played a solo for the crowd, and then announced he was putting down his violin for good.
David was an avid outdoorsman, where he pursued hiking, camping and snow skiing, teaching these skills to his children. They were a skiing family, spending weekends at the Sierra Club's Claire Tappan Lodge, in Norden, CA. Later on, he took up bicycling and along with his wife Lucy, bicycled through Japan, France, Scandinavia and many other countries around the world. He gave up snow skiing at age 80, while continuing hiking with the Sierra Club group through his 80's. He loved gardening and riding his stationary bicycle and engaged in both until the week before he passed. As an avid reader, David was a member of the Kensington Library Book Club, where he made many wonderful friends.
His family would like to thank Pathways Hospice for their assistance this past year, along with the staff at Senior Helpers and his caregivers, Stacie Johnson, Elizabeth Tarango and Geeia Edwards, who helped him live out his life in his own home.
At his request, a private memorial service was held by his family. Donations can be made to the Kensington Symphony, in memory of David Grubman, M.D.