Eric R. Adler M.D.

1948 - 2023

Eric R. Adler, MD
August 6, 1948 - January 15, 2023
Eric Adler died peacefully at home on Jan.15, 2023 in Burlingame, CA, while holding the hand of his loving wife, Jeanie. He is survived by his adoring family-wife Jeanie, sisters Linda and Jayne, children Alexis (Grant Schrader), Nick (Sara), and Elizabeth (Andrew Hobbs), and grandchildren Cate, Abby, Sydney, and Noah.
Born August 6, 1948 in Brooklyn, New York to Gertrude and Daniel Adler, Eric grew up on Long Island and spent his childhood playing in the waves at Jones Beach, where he developed a lifelong love of the ocean. Eric earned his Bachelor of Science with Phi Beta Kappa Honors at Syracuse University (1970) and his Medical Doctorate at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City (1974), where he then completed residency in Internal Medicine.
Eric balanced excellence in his vocation as a doctor with a great love for music and the 1970s counterculture. He lived in the East Village and saw Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead perform regularly. In the hospital, he was respected as an exceptional diagnostician and clinician. He was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, and he was asked to stay on at Mount Sinai as Chief Resident. He decided this would be "more paperwork than patient care" and instead chose to move to San Francisco after visiting close friends in February and realizing he could run to the beach in shorts and then go see Van Morrison at The Great American Music Hall.
He started his career at Kaiser Permanente in 1977 in South San Francisco. As an Internal Medicine doctor, he was on the front lines of the AIDS epidemic in the Bay Area in the 1980s and 1990s and treated his patients with deep care and respect. He again quickly became a beloved and respected clinician. His patients loved him dearly and would often bring homemade treats to his home (yes, many of them had his home address).
Eric met the love of his life, Jeanie, at her Christmas party in 1980. They fell in love exploring the California coast together and married in 1983. Eric described the three happiest days of his life as the days their three children were born. He adored his four grandchildren, all of whom lovingly called him "Pop Pop" and delighted in his wonderful storytelling. Last fall, Eric got to dance to "The Weight" by The Band with his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, at her wedding.
Eric was an inventive, silly, and loving father and grandfather. He conjured bedtime stories based on the birds, squirrels, and raccoons from the backyard, taking his children and grandchildren on a hero's journey after bath time. Despite his dedicated work as a physician, he was at every sporting event, recital, and school function. His children loved playing with him in the ocean, reading books together, and learning how to identify the constellations from him.
Eric had an amazing sense of awe and appreciation for the world. He noticed and savored the smell of the air after it rained, the new bloom of a single flower in his garden, and the changing phases of the moon. He was so easily contented by a nice meal, a good song, or the sight of the sun breaking through the clouds. This sense of awe and contentment was infectious to those around him-a magical gift he gave to his family and friends.
Eric believed that being well fed and having access to nature were two important ingredients for health and happiness. Donations in memory of Eric may be made to your local food bank or The California State Parks Foundation. His family will be memorializing him in one of his favorite places, Big Sur, CA. They invite you to share your memories or well wishes at ericadler.forevermissed.com.