Donald Straus, 88, of 3258 Geranium Court, Adamstown, Maryland, in the Buckingham's Choice Retirement Community, died on Tuesday, December 15, 2015.
Born August 8, 1927 in Brooklyn, New York, he was the son of the late Leon Straus and Ruth Levine Straus.
He is survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Selma Held Straus of Adamstown; four children, Robert A Straus and his wife, Mindy, of Gaithersburg, MD, Stewart H Straus and his wife, Cherylene of Virginia Beach, VA, Richard L Straus and his wife, Susan, of Ijamsville MD., and David A Straus and his wife Donnie, of Phoenix, AZ; and eleven grandchildren, Rebecca Straus, Leah Straus Atwell and husband Scott, Cassie Straus and Brandon Straus, Chantal Straus, Leon Straus, Wesley Straus, Adelai Straus and Bethany Straus, Benjamin Straus and Marcus Straus.
He graduated from Johns Hopkins school of medicine in 1953 with a medical degree. He completed his residency in Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins in 1957. He had a private pediatrics practice in Rockville MD from 1959 until his first retirement in 1993. In 1993 he began his second career by joining a medical practice in Berkeley Springs, WV, and later working in Hancock, MD; retiring permanently in 2008. In 2000 he was appointed as the Health Officer of Morgan County by the Morgan County WV Board of Health. In 2003 he was instrumental in passing the Indoor Smoking Ban (Morgan County Clean Indoor Air Regulation). He served as the County Health Officer until 2007.
Dr. Straus had a passion about medicine and helping children. Growing up in New York City, he had an uncle in Brooklyn who was a pediatrician who inspired him at an early age to be pediatrician. He was a devoted husband and best friend to his wife, Selma.
One brother, Lewis B Straus (Elly Weiss) of New York, NY preceded him in death.
A graveside service will be held Friday, December 18, 2015, 1:00 PM at Parklawn Memorial Gardens, 12800 Veirs Mill Rd, Rockville, MD 20853.
Graveside Service
DEC 18. 1:00 PM
Parklawn Memorial Park
12800 Veirs Mill Road
Rockville, MD, 20853