Dr. Stuart R. Jaffee

Dr. Stuart R. Jaffee, 83
WORCESTER - Dr. Stuart R. Jaffee, 83, a Worcester physician and former president of the staff of Saint Vincent Hospital, died Monday after complications from a stroke suffered last month.
Dr. Jaffee knew at a young age that he would become a doctor and never strayed from the path. He excelled academically from the earliest grades. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Tufts University, he attended Tufts Medical School. Upon graduation, he did his surgical internship at Bellevue Hospital in New York and his residency in Urology at Peter Bent Brigham in Boston. Among his earliest accomplishments was his involvement, as a chief resident, in the first successful human kidney transplant. He continued to innovate throughout his career.
As a member of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, he traveled the country teaching institutions how to modernize in order to meet evolving standards of care. He was among the first to learn the revolutionary treatment for kidney stones of shock wave lithotripsy and was the first in the region to perform kidney stone removal surgery by way of a puncture access. Patients mostly remember Dr Jaffee for his wonderful bedside manner, sense of humor and humanity. As an example, to lesson the fear of children going into surgery, Dr. Jaffee replaced the stretcher to transport to the operating room in a Radio Flyer red wagon. Dr. Jaffee was an avid photographer and movie maker. His love of travel was a natural fit for this avocation and groups around Worcester enjoyed seeing and learning from his travelogues to many destinations including China, Israel, Russia, India, Antarctica, Viet Nam and others. His wisdom and humor made him a natural to serve as a master of ceremonies at numerous events, including Massachusetts Medical Association, St. Vincent Hospital, Beth Israel Synagogue as well as tributes to noteworthy members of the community the retirement party of Antoney Borgatti, the founder of "Spag's".
Dr. Jaffee grew up in Worcester the son Sam and Birdie (Straussman) Jaffee and the oldest brother of the late Gloria Sloane of Worcester and Robert Jaffee of Hamden, CT.
He enjoyed a wonderful life with his wife Sylvia (Plotkin) Jaffe ever by his side. She was his confidante, his travel companion and for 47 years his office manager. Together they raised four sons, Richard, Paul, Thomas and Daniel who have provided twelve grandchildren between them. Stuart expressed that his greatest feeling of accomplishment comes from the close relationship that his sons maintain with each other.
Funeral services will be held at 2 PM TODAY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7th at Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive. Burial will be in Sharon Memorial Park in Sharon, MA at the convenience of the family. Memorial observance will be announced. Memorial contributions in his memory may be made to Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive, Worcester, MA 01609 or to the Jewish Federation, 633 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA 01609 or to AFMDA, 352 Seventh Ave., Suite 400 New York, New York. PERLMAN FUNERAL HOME IS directing the arrangements.