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Irwin Boruchow Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Irwin Boruchow
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Dr. Victor Valdes
November 6, 2022
Great Physician and Surgeon, a great friend, and a great person.
Sherry Chinn Byrd
March 8, 2012
Dear wonderful Boruchow family, it is now 2012 and I just learned of Ike's passing. I am so very sorry for your tremendous loss. He was a dear and great friend of mine before he met you Peggy. We worked together at St. Francis Hospital. I am so glad he found you and you loved him so much. He so deserved to be loved. He must have been so proud of his family. He always wanted a family and a dog to replace his beloved dog he left with his Mother. I hope time has made the loss more bearable. He was a wonderful man.
Stuart Z. Grossman
April 28, 2009
I worked with Ike on several matters a few years ago. He was a brilliant man and I will always remember him fondly.
My condolences to his wife and family.
Wendy
April 17, 2009
I'm not sure that I'm ready to do this just yet, as I am far from at peace with Ike's passing, and am struggling to make sense of the crippling grief that has enveloped my family. My hope in writing this is that it will help in my search for the path to acceptance, and hopefully someday, healing, but even more importantly, my hope is that in some very small way, I can help give my sister a few moments away from the overwelming despair that she fights with every breath.
So my thoughts, prayers and these words are for you Peg.
You shared with me that you feel as if there is a huge hole within you, now that Ike is gone. I believe that you need to embrace that emptiness. You had the unbelievably good fortune to enjoy 30+ years of a strong and abiding love with a brilliant man that adored you. Aren't you incredibly lucky to have had such a unique and rare relationship? Of course there's a huge hole!
If our lives are measured by the mark that we leave behind, it makes sense that the emptiness you feel is so vast. So embrace that hole, as it shows the significance of what was once there.
You mentioned that there were times you could have been more patient and kind -- I say to you that you were exactly what he needed. You loved him, took care of him, and yes, were firm with him when he needed it. You kept him grounded.
It took me awhile to come to grips with my feelings for Ike. I was a teenager when I met him, and found him to be unsettling on many levels. I finally figured it out the day that Lee David was born.
We all had our assigned tasks, one of which was for Ronna and I to stay at your house, so that Ike wouldn't be alone. That evening, the three of us sat in the living room, sipping champagne and toasting the arrival of the newest Boruchow.
At one point, Ike raised his glass and stated that if the hospital were to call to inform us of a problem with the baby, he could deal with that, but if they called with news that you had suffered a pulmonary embolus, he couldn't survive. He said, "I've lived 40 years without a child, and could live many more if necessary. But I can't live without my Peggy."
At that moment, I determined that whether or not I understood him, if Ike loved my sister to that extent - he was OK in my book.
Over the years, I came to respect him enormously. He was a brilliant man, a phenomenal husband and father, and a good friend.
If it was at all humanly possible, he would have found a way to stay with you forever -- not for himself, but to spare you this difficult journey. His primary motivation was always to keep you safe and protected from any unhappiness.
It will take time, but you will survive this horrible loss, and I know that you know you will never be alone. Your large and somewhat dysfunctional family is here for you. I am here for you.
Be gentle with yourself, Peggy. Don't expect too much too fast. Allow yourself the moments of sadness and despair. To deny them is to deny the significance he had in your life.
It's OK to talk to him. He will never be far from your side.
I love you, and believe he's left me one final assignment.
Lean on me Peg, let me help you on this difficult journey.
Cindy Trevathan
April 15, 2009
Dear Peggy,
My heart goes out to you and your boys. The first time I met Ike (a Cello incident), he mentioned his love and concern for you and hoped we could "hook up" some day. I have enjoyed the time we have spent together on the tennis courts and shopping and hope you know your Highlands' friends are here for you. I loved getting to know Ike and his passion for medicine, his family, his dogs and his wife. It still does not register that he will not be here with us this summer.
You and your family are in my prayers and we are here for you if you need us.
April 15, 2009
Dear Peggy:
When Toni called us with the sad news, I had many things running through my mind. So many years together with both of you and the boys. My own father passed away the end of January. He had come to live with me since 2007. His passing was a relief - Dr. B's passing was a memory of life. He gave me so much that I have taken into my life. He taught me how to persevere. I once sent him a rosary, and I wonder if he ever held it. The soldier, the physician, and the clergyman - I remember it well. I always prayed that he would one day acquire the wisdom of the clergyman. I pray for him often and now more deeply, that he has filled that void he always yearned for - God.
I will call you when things settles down. For now, be with your family and stay close to Toni, she loves you very much.
I will always love all of the Boruchow's. After all, I spent alot of time with them. May God give you comfort and strength in these difficult days. Vivian Cuadras
Ike Boruchow Jr.
April 14, 2009
When I found out what had happened to my father, I knew that I wanted to speak on his behalf on this day. I wanted to take the opportunity to share some of the memories of him that really personify the type of person he really was. Whether they were happy or sad, whether there were tears or laughter…I will always hold them close to my heart.
My dad was the most intelligent, inspiring and gifted man I have ever known. The list of accomplishments and accolades that this man accumulated over his 75 years is nothing short of amazing. But putting the degrees and awards aside, there was another side to the man, a side that couldn’t be measured with a grade point average. What I will always remember most about my dad, is how he always put his family ahead of everything else.
When my brother and I were much younger, dad always made sure he fit in “guys time” once a week, every Sunday afternoon. Who could forget the countless games of Shark that we played when we’d go to the pool for the day. I remember how excited I got when Lee and I would already be in the water and dad would slowly make his way in at the shallow end, and then, without warning, by simply lifting his hand up onto his head he transformed into a great white and proceeded to hunt my brother and I as if we were covered in chum. Lee and I were forced to work in tandem to avoid the danger that was coming are way, although sometimes we had to resort to cheating by getting up out of the water. Whether it was a day at the pool, arcade, miniature gold course or Joe’s Pizza, we always made sure he had time for his boys. He was there for us.
It was a good feeling knowing that I had my dad behind me. There was a sense of security that came along with being his son. No matter how many times I would get myself into trouble, he was always there to help me get back on my feet. For instance, one day at the Jockey Club pool when I was about 4 years old, I was determined to show him how grown up I was. I told him that I was too good a swimmer for water wings, and I was ready to go in the pool without them. With a large grin on his face, he told me that, although he agreed that I was an excellent swimmer, maybe I should reconsider the juvenile scheme that I had come up with. I told him, fine, but as those of you who knew me as a child will explain, I was not easily deterred from my missions once I had made up my mind. So, without warning I ran down to the deep end of the pool, took off my water wings and did what I can only describe as a special Olympics cannonball into the deepest part of the pool. As I slowly sunk down to the bottom of the pool floor, I couldn’t help but think that maybe dad was right. Suddenly I felt someone grab me and pull me out of the water. It was dad. He was there for me.
He was always a big fan of my basketball career. Even if it was just me somehow managing to find my way in to a 30 point blowout, he was always on the edge of his seat. I don’t think that anyone expected what happened back in February 1999, the game where my heart stopped at mid court. Id like to read a section from the personal statement that wrote when I was applying to law school:
Perseverance has been my motto since I was 17 years old. Then in the middle of a varsity basketball game I got my first glimpse of reality. Without warning, I collapsed at center court. I had just suffered a cardiac arrest and was not breathing. My father, Dr. Irwin B. Boruchow, a cardiovascular surgeon, happened to be attending this particular game. As the entire building immediately went into a state of discomposure, my father, not letting emotion take control, came to the rescue. He knelt beside me and began to give me CPR. A few minutes later the ambulance arrived. I was defibrillated and taken to the hospital. I owe everything to my father. He saved my life and taught me a valuable lesson along the way. When you have a job to do, do not let your emotions conflict with your training and intellect.
It still amazes me that this man was able to transform from father to doctor just like that. He was always so calm and cool under pressure, a trait that helped him become such a successful surgeon. I owe him everything. It’s something that I will obviously never remember, but a story that I will obviously never forget. He was there for me.
All of us are here today because our family and friends have suffered a tremendous loss. But I believe that the world has also suffered a loss, as a man that has added so much value to it is now gone. I know that he is now in a better place, a place where health concerns don’t exist and he can just be at peace. I am sad that I never got to tell him goodbye and that I loved him one last time, and I would give anything just to spend one more day with him. Everything I did in my life was aimed at making him proud. His respect wasn’t something I needed, it was something I craved. I always tried to impress him. I will continue to try to impress him as my life rolls on, and I know that he’ll be watching me. I love you dad.
April 13, 2009
Dear Peggy, Lee, and Ike Jr, Wendy, Ronna, Josh, and all his family and friends.
Ike Boruchow was my dear friend of many years, my confidante and my protector. He helped innumerable people including myself over the many valuable years of his life. He loved his family, and loved his German Shepherds with all his heart. He loved Cello especially. I can't recall a conversation with him when he didn't speak highly of his love for Peggy, Lee and Ike Jr., he will be missed by all of us, but those of us who were blessed to know him can be truly grateful for his love and friendship. I was always amazed that no matter what life dealt him he only spoke of the positive and was always there to prop you up and give you a sense that you too had so much to give. He lived life fully, with relish, and most of all with compassion.
Cynthia
Courtney Culligan
April 13, 2009
I knew Ike for only a few years but he is someone I will never forget. He was always offering me advice and encouraging me to better myself. He was a great man and will be missed (especailly at my desk on mondays and wednesdays!!! :) (US 1 Fitness Center)
Trenton Shaver
April 12, 2009
In the years I knew Ike one thing was constant - his disire to help people. Peggy, I know you were surprised when I told you that Ike was a "social butterfly" at the gym but it was true. He got to know EVERYBODY! I would have to herd him along to get our workout done because he was always stopping to talk with someone who had a problem that he was helping them with. Your quote about surgeons in Ike's obituary is true but I believe in Ike's case it was his heart-felt desire to help people in any way he could that made him so special.
Ralph & Suzanne Heckert
April 12, 2009
Dr. Boruchow was my friend and counsel in my life. He possessed a clear and forthright precense of mind, a steel nerve, the inner strength of many men and both the self confidence and a kind heart that is only gifted to those that have true inner peace.
"Dr. B" as I liked to call him, would often challenge me intellectually, he always forced me to grow, he expected it as part of our friendship. I often remember the debates he loved to have over a broad range of topics, science, law, business, politics, world affairs, ethics, music - this was a man with a hungry intellect, he thirsted for knowledge, it made him breadth.
Once we discussed religion. For Dr. B, a tought subject, he wasn't particularly devote but often told me of his belief in a benevolent spirit "because things happened to his patients in the operating room that made even people like him" (as he liked to describe himself - men that were trained to have cold, logical minds) to believe in a higher power". He was respectful of a God and I imagine, God respected Dr. B by gracing him with so many gifts to administer to others.
Dr. B also tried to give folks the impression that he was very business-like and serious, that he was detached from the day to day emotion of life, when in fact, he was one of the most kind and thoughtful men I ever knew. One day he finally told me why he acted this way (detached). He told me he had to stay that way so that he could do his best work, so that he would not ever fail his patients, so that he would have the precense of mind to do the right thing at the right time, always. He told me it was not always that way for him, that he got tired of saying good bye to so many patients that were beyond his ability or modern medicine to help. I understood, finally. He took these blows seriously, he felt them deeply, they even impacted his own health (after retirement from medicine) for sometime. He re-lived many patient stories with me, I thought they all were his friends, I later understood some of them were no longer with us.
In later years, he guarded his patients a different way, by becoming an expert witness. He defended all patients, even after they succumbed to illness by holding his colleagues, hospitals and his industry to a high standard and oath through our legal system. He was also the balance, he stood up and defended his colleagues when he felt they did everything possible. He denied to work on cases where he felt the surgeon or the doctor tried his best.
Dr. B was ever the tough minded Dad and dedicated husband, Dr. B truly loved his boys. Lee and Ike, I can't tell you how many of your hobbies and basketball games and dating stories I lived through your Dad's eyes and stories. Now you are both men, in his later years, your Dad was very proud of the woman you chose to share your lives with.
In life as in love, Dr. B often told me there were times when he did not show love as much as he wanted, he guarded and guided his feelings, they came out in little doses of emotion and humanity, there were always gestures marked by someone with a good and just heart.
Dearest Peggy you should know how many times Dr. B told me the story of how you both met and how much he loved you and was proud of you as a wife, Mom and life partner. He told me so many times of his love that I just began to pretend I was hearing it all the first time. And, everytime he told me, he seemed to be more at peace, it made him smile, he adored and loved you so very much.
My friend, Dr. B was a warrior in life, his medicine, brilliant intellect and medical skills helped the sick and the less fortunate in life. He lived by a discipline and ethical standards that few people are ever given the inner strength to attain. He expected us all to do the same, he just thought that was "normal".
Dr. B was rich in so many ways, mostly in the power of his spirit and how it influenced others. I wonder if he ever understood his true impact was not saving patients but saving souls. I will miss his presence and his counsel. I will miss our phone calls even after I moved away from Florida. I will miss him, the personality, the light of his being.
The way we honor the ones no longer with us is to do good deeds in their name. I will remember Ike, my Dr. B, a man who has already influenced my life greatly.
I will try to make him as proud of me as I was of him.
May God keep Dr. B safe and in his arms like he did for so many in his life, as a caregiver and friend.
- Ralph Emerson Heckert
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