J. Leon Schwartz D.D.S.

SCHWARTZ, J. Leon, DDS, passed away on January 27, 2004, under the care of LifePath Hospice. The son of the late Sadie Schwartz Streiffer and Haime Wolf Schwartz, Dr. Schwartz was born February 28, 1909, in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Schwartz was predeceased by his loving wife, Charlotte Cracowaner Schwartz; and leaves behind his two devoted daughters and their husbands, Carla S. and Mike Raab, and Rhoda S. and Jim Smith; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Dr. Schwartz's brother, Simon Schwartz, owner of a well known grocery store, passed away a few years prior, and Dr. Schwartz is survived by his other younger brother, Paul Schwartz; and cousins, David Hyman, and Selma Hyman Cohen, all of Tampa, and Jack Hyman, of Mobile. After graduation from Hillsborough High School, Dr. Schwartz graduated from Emory University Dental College (Atlanta Southern) in 1932, being a member of OKU Honorary Scholastic Fraternity at Emory and a member of Alpha Omega Fraternity. At first, Dr. Schwartz wa nted to be a civil engineer but his bridgework would be that of a man who practically dedicated his life to looking into other people's mouths. A cousin of his at New York University dental college changed his mind and convinced him to study dentistry with him. Dr. Schwartz received his residence training at Fordham Hospital in New York City and subsequently practiced in Tampa from 1934 to 1984, except for time spent in the U.S. Army, where Dr. Schwartz was chief of oral surgery in four general hospitals. Three were in the U.S. and the fourth in the 251st general near Rheims, France. After the war, Dr. Schwartz resumed his practice in Tampa where he was active in civic and service organizations such as the Florida Division of the American Cancer Society. Dr. Schwartz helped to organize the Southeastern Society of Oral Surgeons in 1949, became its president in 1964, and has served on important committees and programs of the Society, having served on the Board of Directors of ADPAC in 1977 and on its Executive Committee in 1982. He formed the PAC for Florida dentistry and became its first chairman in 1982. Dr. Schwartz was a consultant to MacDill AFB dental surgeons in the 1960's, awarded certificates of merit by the American Cancer Society and listed in Who's Who in the Southeast; was a past-president of the Florida Dental Association and a founding Fellow of the IASOS. Dr. Schwartz helped to establish and guide the formation of the University of Florida Dental School. Dr. Schwartz was a producer and moderator of a one day preconvention seminar on oral cancer in Miami, and a one day preconvention seminar on anesthesia in Chicago; served on the Statewide Health Council, and was past- president of the local, district and state dental associations, the Southeast Society of Oral Surgeons, the American Society of Oral and Maxillo Surgeons, and was a founding member of the International Association of Oral and Maxillo Surgeons. Dr. Schwartz wrote columns for the Florida Dental Foundat ion for six years focusing on "financial philosophy" for dentists: how to invest and save money. Dr. Schwartz was a leader in the fight to get insurance and Medicare coverage for dental patients and was an influential advocate for educating the public about good dental care. He was only the sixth oral surgeon in the state when he opened his practice and the first in Tampa in 1933. In the 1990s, Florida was the fourth largest population of dentists in the nation. In January 2004, Dr. Schwartz was honored by the Florida Dental Association for his 70 years of service. When Dr. Schwartz first opened his practice "local residents brought us fresh eggs for pulling their teeth - they couldn't afford to pay us," Dr. Schwartz once stated. Dr. Schwartz retired from the practice of dentistry after 51 years in April 1984 and stated that at the time he retired he was the longest practicing oral surgeon in Florida. His hobbies included twice weekly rounds of golf at Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club and swim ming at his Davis Islands home. A great believer in good health, he used the treadmill, bicycle and other equipment in his home and exercised every morning. Funeral services will be held at Schaarai Zedek Temple, 3303 W. Swann Ave., Tampa, on Friday, January 30, 2004 at 1:00 p.m., with Rabbi Richard J. Birhholz officiating. Interment immediately follows at Schaarai Zedek Cemetery on Ola Ave. off of North Boulevard. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to LifePath Hospice, 3010 W. Azeele St., Tampa, FL. 33609; Schaarai Zedek, 3303 W. Swann Ave., Tampa, FL. 33609; Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation, 9700 W. Bryn Maur Ave., Rosemont, IL. 60018-5701; or the charity of your choice. The family will receive friends at the Temple prior to the service. Dr. Schwartz's daughters wish to thank all caregivers who made their father's final days more comfortable.