Arnold Howard Kassanoff MD

Dr. Arnold Howard Kassanoff, respected physician, loving husband and doting father and grandfather, died on February 29, 2012 at the age of 80. Dr. Kassanoff was born on February 20, 1932 in Bronx, New York, but grew up in El Paso where he spent his formative years. He was the son of Ben and Lillian Kassanoff, and the proud older brother of Ira Kassanoff, M.D. He was the first in his family to attend college, becoming an honors student at the University of Texas where he distinguished himself as a member of the AED Premedical Honor Society and Sigma Alpha Mu social fraternity. After only three years as an undergraduate, he was admitted to Tulane School of Medicine. He served his residency in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the Boston City Hospital and at the New England Medical Center. A Captain in the United States Air Force, he was stationed in England and subsequently returned to the United States where he set up a private practice in Richardson, Texas. He then moved to Dallas where he was a founding partner of Cardiology and Internal Medicine Associates (CIMA – now CIVA), based out of Presbyterian Hospital. He served as Clinical Professor of Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical School and was ultimately honored with the establishment of the Arnold H. Kassanoff M.D. Medical Scholarship at Tulane School of Medicine, a grant awarded to an outstanding medical student going into primary care medicine. In 2011, he was recognized by the Medical Board of the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas for “service to our Hospital, to our region and to the Profession of Medicine, with gratitude…for his many decades of Loyal Service, faithfully performed in the traditional ideals of the medical profession.” He was the first physician ever to be so honored.

Dr. Kassanoff married his love, Dorothy Jane Spitzberg of Tyler in 1963. Their daughter, Jennie (and husband Dan Schulman), son Ben (and wife Sharon), and son Jim (and wife Stephanie) gave him his greatest pleasure - six grandchildren: Molly and Jake Schulman, Jordan and Marla Kassanoff, and Teddy and Shane Kassanoff.

Dr. Kassanoff was active in a number of Dallas institutions including Temple Emanu-El the American Jewish Committee, the Federation of Greater Dallas, and was among the founders of Temple Shalom and the Shelton School. Dr. Kassanoff’s main focus, however, was always the welfare of his patients. The individuals who entrusted him with their care were at the center of his being. While tiny microbes could be seen under the microscope and large epidemics mapped across continents, his only unit of measurement was the person beneath his stethoscope. A consummate diagnostician, he believed in the power of science to heal the body and to expand the reach of medical treatment.

The Kassanoff family would like to thank the many friends, family, and caregivers who have supported him through his final illness. Our special thanks go to Karen (Judy) Bowen and Sandra Zuniga whose help has been constant.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Dr. Arnold H. Kassanoff Fund for hereditary cancer research (http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/AHKassanoff/inmemoryofarnoldhkassanoffmd), the Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas (http://www.jfsdallas.org/donate), Temple Emanu-El (http://www.tedallas.org/), or the charity of your choice. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 1:30 PM at Temple Emanu-El, Olan Sanctuary, 8500 Hillcrest Rd., Dallas, Texas 75225, with private burial to follow