MILTON SCHWARTZ

Milton A. Schwartz, MD, beloved husband of Phyllis D. Schwartz (nee Rudolph), the loving father of Randall (& Abby) Schwartz and Erica (& Nicholas Hall) Schwartz, the adoring Pop of Kyle, Sophie, Isaiah, Raphael and Elijah, passed away Saturday, December 25, at Capital Regional Medical Center with his loved ones at his side.



Milton had a passion for life and a diversity of interests from music to medicine, from umpiring little league to working on community boards, from collecting fine wine to cheering on his favorite Philadelphia sports teams. He grew up in the Feltonville section of Philadelphia and graduated from Olney High School in 1955. He did his undergraduate and medical studies at Temple University where he met the love of his life, Phyllis Rudolph, in a calculus class. After completing an internship at Lower Bucks Hospital, Bristol, Dr. Schwartz served as a Flight Surgeon with the U.S. Air Force at the Rhein-Main Air Base outside of Frankfurt, Germany from 1964-1967. He then returned to the US and joined his childhood friend, Robert Weisberg, in private practice in Morrisville, PA. Together they practiced medicine for over 40 years until Dr. Weisberg retired. Dr. Schwartz continued practicing medicine until 2017, when he retired after 60 years, at the ripe old age of 80.



Dr. Schwartz was a compassionate physician with a welcoming sense of humor and a calming bedside manner. He was a man of integrity both in the public sphere as a doctor and in his private life as a family man and friend.



Milton's first love (other than his wife) was music. He began his musical career at the age of five when his father put a violin in his hands. His musical aptitude quickly became apparent. He attended the acclaimed Settlement Music School and then the New School of Music in Philadelphia, PA, from which he graduated at the age of 17. Later, as an adult, Milton played with the Delaware Valley Philharmonic for over 30 years (concertmaster for over a decade) and performed with the Greater Trenton Symphony Orchestra as a violinist for 10 years, all while serving on both orchestra boards. In 1990, Milton and his wife, Phyllis, along with Russell Hoffman and others, founded the Newtown Chamber Orchestra, serving on the Board of the orchestra, often as board President, and playing as Concertmaster for over two decades. He enjoyed sharing his musical gift, and for years, he and Dr. Russel Bechtloff gave benefit violin and piano duet performances for many organizations, including the Human Growth Center (now the Counseling Center of Bucks County) and the Bucks County Youth Orchestra.



Milton was a survivor with a strong will. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2001, becoming cancer-free after a year-long battle and remaining that way thereafter. He and his beloved wife had a storybook love affair, marrying at 22 and 19 respectively. After 62 years, he was heartbroken by her death earlier this year.



Dad, we are grateful to you for teaching us how to survive in the world, respect ourselves and stand up for our principles. You were loved and respected by family, friends and colleagues. You will be sorely missed and lovingly remembered.



Funeral services will be private due to Covid-19 restrictions. If you would like to pay your respects to the family, you may do so at the following email address, raks@comcast.net Donations in his memory may be made to the Newtown Chamber Orchestra, PO Box 716, Newtown, PA 18940, https://www.newtownchamberorchestra.org/ or The Counseling Center of Bucks County, 82 Buck Road, Holland, PA 18966, 215-322-2586.