Jack Nathaniel Alpert

Born on July 20, 1938 in Newark, New Jersey, to Ruby (Margulis) and Louis Alpert. Jack grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey in a close knit family including his parents, his beloved big sister Barbara, and his grandmother Sophie. His passion for music started at a young age and he loved composing his own music on the piano and harpsichord, something he would do for the rest of his life.

Jack attended Johns Hopkins University and later Tufts Medical School where he discovered his passion for neurology. A devoted physician, he did his residency at Mt. Sinai in New York City. While in New York, he met his future wife and biggest cheerleader, Ruth Reich Alpert. Together they would move to Maryland where Jack would practice neurology at Andrews Air Force Base. After finishing his service, Jack moved to Houston in 1971 where he began working in private practice. Jack served as Chief of Neurology at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital for 22 years. Throughout his career, he taught medical students and residents at the University of Texas and Baylor College of Medicine. For six years he was Chairman of the St. Luke’s Ethics Committee where he led a group of physicians, clergy, and ethicists to review complex life and death cases. While he authored some 24 journal articles, his proudest accomplishment was the writing and subsequent publication of his textbook “The Neurologic Diagnosis: A Practical Approach.” He also spent his later years writing about his life and travels. His final book was a collection of quotes and aphorisms that he had been collecting for decades.

When not working in the office, he often shared his medical knowledge with family, friends, and friends of friends. If you had a problem, you knew you could call Jack. We will all miss his wise counsel, loving nature, and generous heart. Devoted to family, he is survived by Ruth, his wife of 56 years, son Richard Alpert (Kelly) and daughters Ariela and Jessica Alpert Silber (Jacob) as well as his five grandchildren Maya, Emi, Wyatt, Theo, and Nicola. He had a very close relationship with his nephews and nieces, Michael (Iman) Frishkopf, John (Brett) Frishkopf, Sophie (Phil) Frishkopf and Bianca Medina (Ned). He is predeceased by his parents, Ruby and Louis Alpert, his sister Barbara Frishkopf, and his son Daniel Alpert.

The family would like to thank the devoted nurses and doctors at MD Anderson, especially the sarcoma team. The staff at Houston Hospice made his final days more comfortable and for that, the family will always be grateful.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jewish Federation of Houston and the Nature Conservancy.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.levyfuneraldirectors.com for the Alpert family.