Dr. Edward L. Sleeper

Dr. Edward Louis Sleeper, 102, passed away peacefully at home on February 10, 2018. He was born on April 6, 1915 in Hartford, Connecticut to Morris and Minnie (Comins) Sleeper. After graduating from Weaver High School and Cornell University with a B.A. degree, he received a D.D.S. from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Dentistry and an M.Sc.D from the Graduate School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. On June 9, 1946, he married Merle Jane Levy, his wife of 63 years. Following his service as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific, he completed his medical internship at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

During his career as an oral surgeon in the Boston area, Ed was a professor of oral surgery and became chairman of the department of oral surgery at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. He then became a clinical professor and chairman of the department of oral surgery at Boston University Graduate School of Dentistry. He was a member of the American Dental Association, Massachusetts Dental Society, Metropolitan District Dental Society, American Society of Oral Surgeons, American Board of Oral Surgery and its advisory board. He was a past president of the New England Society of Oral Surgeons and past president of the Greater Boston Dental Society. Ed was also a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon, a national honorary dental society, and Sigma Xi, a national honorary scientific society. He wrote numerous articles on oral surgery in the dental literature and authored a chapter in the textbook Pediatric Dentistry. His biography appeared in Who’s Who in America (1972-1973).

Ed was an athlete and exercise enthusiast. He and Merle played tennis for many years, competed, and sometimes placed in club championships. Ed participated in singles and doubles tennis tournaments well into his nineties. He also played squash for many years and eventually joined Merle in the game of golf. They both were diehard Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins fans.

Music and art were also Ed’s passions. He was an accomplished piano player, loved to attend and listen to opera and musicals. He was a collector of American Art which became his passion when he retired from Oral Surgery.

Ed is survived by his three children and their families: daughter Leslie Olanoff, her husband Andy of Rutland, Vermont, son James Sleeper and his wife Sarah of Rancho Santa Fe, California and son Thomas Sleeper and his wife Jennifer of Boston, Massachusetts; grandchildren Jared Olanoff, Rachel McGuire, Christopher Sleeper, Elizabeth (Sleeper) Yip, William Sleeper and, Vivian Yu-Sleeper; great grandchildren Julien Olanoff, Leah Olanoff, Lofts McGuire and Casburn McGuire; many nieces and nephews; and his caregiver Jean Merrick. He was predeceased by his wife Merle, on December 24, 2009; by his sister Ruth (Sleeper) Adler, his brother Herbert Sleeper, and his brother Alfred Sleeper.

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, February 14th at 10am at Temple Israel, 477 Longwood Avenue, Boston (parking available on the Riverway), followed by burial at Temple Israel Cemetery, 500 North Avenue, Wakefield, MA.

Following the burial, a memorial observance will take place at The University Club, 426 Stuart St., Boston.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Mass General Hospital Fund, 125 Nashua St. Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114 or www.giving.massgeneral.org