Julian Blitz's Obituary
BLITZ, JULIAN, DO died peacefully on December 6, 2013 in Aventura, Fl. at the age of 91. Julian was born in the Bronx, NY to Edna and Joseph Blitz. Julian was devoted to his family and to the love of his life, Harriet, with whom he shared 68 years of marriage. They planned annual family get-togethers every December at various locations for their five children and their families and over the decades, the numbers at these gatherings were increased by spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. These yearly gatherings were enthusiastically photographed, videotaped, and edited by Julian and remain as indelible memories of those shared family times. Dr. Julian Blitz was also a well-respected physician and surgeon who practiced medicine for over 50 years in south Fl. He delivered over 500 babies, including four of his own children, performed hundreds of surgeries, and even made house calls --- a bygone time when a doctor was a caretaker, a confidante, and a healer for all of your ailments. Julian always had artistic talent, first used as a sign painter and display designer for his parents' dry goods stores.His original career choice was to be a medical illustrator. The war years changed his plans and after briefly considering dentistry, he chose to be a physician. After working his way through Long Island University with various jobs, including waitering in Catskills' resorts, he chose to attend the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his internship at Warren County Hospital in NJ. He met and married Harriet Robbins during that time, and they moved to Dania, Fl. so that he did not have to make house calls during the harsh winters. When Julian arrived in Fl. he found that osteopathic medical doctors were barred from clinics and hospitals in the area. Since he was not allowed to practice at local hospitals, he built his own facility in 1949 and named it South Broward Hospital and Medical Clinic. When the county was later building a new hospital in Hollywood, they asked for his hospital's name so as to match their Broward General and North Broward locations. He told them since they would not let him work there, then why would he give up the name So they had to call it, Memorial Hospital of South Broward. Julian was a doer, not a braggart, or a reward seeker. He saw a problem and not only fixed it, but made the situation better. His intelligence, compassion, ingenuity, and perseverance were why he ended up becoming president and founder and chairman of many organizations and institutions. He was especially active in the promotion of osteopathic medicine as president of the Broward County Osteopathic Medical Association and later the Fl. Osteopathic Medical Association. In 2011, Julian was invited to the American Osteopathic Association annual meeting in Chicago where he was presented with the highest honor of the profession, "Great Pioneer in Osteopathic Medicine." Julian was nominated for this honor by his peers for advancing the osteopathic medical profession throughout his career, especially for establishing his own hospital and also the Community Hospital of South Broward as well as being one of the founders of Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. Julian was also committed to enriching and improving south Fl. in other ways. He was president of Temple Beth Shalom in Hollywood, Fl. and a founder of County National Bank of North Miami, which was later absorbed into Wells Fargo Bank. His leadership with the Lions Club, Masons, and other organizations all benefited from his diplomatic skills and financial acumen. Julian and Harriet were the ultimate world travelers, having visited all the US states and over 80 countries. They especially loved cruising to foreign ports and went around the world twice on the Queen Elizabeth. They took many of their children and grandchildren on their travels, with a most memorable four month sojourn in 1962 in Europe, where Julian combined his surgical techniques studies in Zurich and Vienna with driving the family in a VW bus around eight countries. Julian continued his artistic endeavors throughout his life. He enjoyed water color and oil painting, making ceramics and jewelry, and calligraphy. His hands were a blessing and he used them to their ultimate potential as a surgeon and an artist. He was an avid coin and stamp collector, a classical music and opera lover, a golfer and a good tennis player. Julian was predeceased by his parents, his brother Sidney Blitz and his sister Lucille Feldman. He is remembered with love, and his wit and humor and his enthusiastic personality will be greatly missed by his family: wife Harriet, his children Linda Harris, Barbara (Andrew) Salitsky, Judy Shirck, Gerald (Nancy) Blitz, and Dr. Barry (Elise) Blitz. He was the devoted grandfather of Dawn, Todd (Mary), Gregory and the late Bradley Harris; Ira, Eric, and Amy Salitsky; Dr. Jennifer Knapp (Dr. Eric) and Dr. Jeffrey (Zhenia) Shirck; Jackson and James Blitz, Dr. Elisa and Paul Heiken; Storm, Raven, and Daniel Blitz. He was the great-grandfather of Evan and Emily Knapp, Jacob and Jordan Shirck, and Adrina Bradley. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, December 10 at 3 pm at Ramat Shalom Synagogue, 11301 W. Broward Blvd, Plantation, Fl. 33325 following a private family burial. Continuing after the service, there will be a gathering for friends and family in the social hall. Donations in memory of Dr. Julian Blitz may be made to Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine at www.nova.edu/giving
Published in Miami Herald on Dec. 8, 2013 Print | View Guest Book
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