DR. EUGENE KATZ

Eugene passed away peacefully January 10, 2021 in Warminster, PA. He was 95 years old. He lived a good healthy life, full of loving relationships, meaningful work as a dentist, and many interests. He said the best decision he ever made was marrying his wife of 71 years, Lenore, AKA Leni (Schwartz). After living in Conshohocken, they moved to Blue Bell in 1956 where they raised their two children, Carol and Matthew. In 2019 they moved to Ann's Choice in Warminster. They were best friends, working as a team to parent their children who were their greatest pride. Together they channeled their creativity into making a beautiful home and garden that was a place of many gatherings. They enjoyed many adventures traveling together. They also kept the romantic spark alive with weekly dates, singing each other love songs, and sharing a small double bed so that they were always close. Eugene was born in 1925 and grew up in Conshohocken. He worked in his parents' pharmacy and at Quaker Chemical before graduating from Conshohocken High School in 1943. His parents, Samuel and Rachel (Parris) were Jewish, immigrants from Russia. He and his two older brothers, David and Robert grew up above their parents' pharmacy in a racially and ethnically integrated neighborhood. His parents set an example of respecting differences and embraced Eugene's diverse group of friends. Growing up during the Depression, although he always had enough, he saw that many of his neighbors did not. He enlisted in the Navy Air Corp (V5 Program) through which he received extensive training, education, and experiences that he considered to be life-defining. He took engineering courses at Bucknell and went to Chapel Hill, NC for pre-flight training where he was promoted to naval aviation cadet. World War II ended just before he completed his flight training. His experience in the Navy Air Corp fostered a drive to learn, discipline to work hard, team-building skills, and self-confidence that allowed him to learn from mistakes. After the war, he enrolled at Temple University. He worked part time and summers at Hamilton Paper Company and Allen Wood Steel Company. For three summers he was a carpenter's helper, which launched his interest in woodworking. He earned his degree as Doctor of Dental Surgery at Temple University in 1951. He practiced dentistry in Conshohocken for over 50 years. For most of that time he shared an office with his brother David Katz, DDS and his brother Robert Katz, MD. He felt grateful to have work he enjoyed and a team of staff whom he loved. While running his private dental practice he served as Chief of Dentistry at Montgomery County Hospital. Once a month he volunteered providing free dental care at a clinic in Norristown. He also coordinated a free dental clinic in Conshohocken. He was instrumental in starting the Dental Hygiene program at Montgomery County Community College. He was always an active member of his professional organization. He served as president of the Montgomery-Bucks County Dental Society and on many committees of the second district of the Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA). He chaired the PDA's insurance committee and served on the American Dental Association's insurance committee. He served on the executive committee of the Academy of General Dentistry. He received the Pennsylvania Dental Association Distinguished Service Award and other honors including awards from the PDA, the Academy of General Dentistry and the Temple University Alumni Association. Throughout his career and even after retirement, he played a mentoring role to other dentists and encouraged dentists to join the dental society. He especially tried to encourage women and dentists of color to become active and take on leadership roles. Besides working hard, he believed in playing hard, and encouraged others to make time for recreation. He knew life was short. He loved bringing friends and family together. He took his family on a vacation almost every year including a cross-country camping trip and traveled extensively with Leni after supporting his children's college educations. He loved sailing his sunfish and had many adventures sailing other people's boats. He enjoyed swimming; when he was close to 80 years old, he did long distance swim to support breast cancer research. He and Leni were known as the "dancing couple", always the last to leave the dance floor. His creativity was expressed through his photography and woodworking. He built much of the furniture in their home. Working with Leni, he transformed their once empty lot into a peaceful, shaded sanctuary by planting hundreds of trees and shrubs. He also was involved in the world around him. He kept abreast of the news and never missed the opportunity to vote. He volunteered with the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association, served as a poll worker, attended community meetings and was a good neighbor, always willing to help others. He was curious, adventuresome, funny, quirky, and enjoyed hearing and telling a good story. He could have a conversation with anyone about anything and developed a large multi-generational family of friends. Many of his adult friends considered him a father figure. Many of the children in his life considered him a fun play-mate; He'd allow them to drive his sitting mower or he'd play hide and seek, or teach them to sail or swim. He was a wise man. His favorite song, written by Eden Ahbez and sung by Nat King Cole, ,Nature Boy, contains the line: "The greatest thing you'll ever know is to love and to be loved in return". He exemplified this beyond the great love story he and Leni shared. He was a loving parent. Without judgement, he embraced his lesbian daughter and gay son when they came out in the 1970s. He only wanted them to be happy. He and Leni cared for their son, Matthew, in their home in 1993 during his last 8 months before his death from AIDS related complications. Eugene's warm smile could light up a room, expressing his genuine happiness upon seeing a friend, or one of his beloved aides, or his sister-in-law, Martha, whom he considered a sister. He gave his love generously, making people feel special. He had a very strong life force; despite having been in hospice for 10 months due to heart failure and aortic stenosis, he was fiercely independent. He pushed himself to walk until the last week of his life. Thanks to Abington Jefferson Hospice he was well cared for and comfortable until the end. He received home hospice services until his last two nights when he went to the hospice center. Leni and Carol were able to stay with him. They believe, Matthew, was waiting for him as he made the transition.
He is survived by his wife Lenore (Schwartz) Katz of Warminster, daughter Carol Katz and daughter-in-law, Ginny Cutting of Boston, MA, sister-in-laws Martha (Schwartz) Rozeman of Warminster and Sheila(Rudin) Schwartz of Cherry Hill, NJ, several cousins, nieces, nephews, a surrogate grandson, and many others he loved. He is pre-deceased by his son, Matthew, and his brothers, David and Robert. Due to the risk of COVID, a celebration of Eugene's life will be planned in the future.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Eugene may be made to either:
Abington Health Foundation / Jefferson Health Hospice at Warminster, 1200 Old York Road, Abington, PA 19001 or to Ann's Choice Benevolent Care Fund, C/O Philanthropy, 20000 Ann's Choice Way, Warminster, PA 18974.