Dr. LeRoy “Lee” Bernstein, of Las Vegas, passed away on April 4, 2024, at age 86. Lee was a beloved pediatrician, father, grandfather, husband and friend. A first generation American, Lee was born on August 27, 1937, in Denver, Colorado, and was the only child to Jake and Sarah Bernstein, immigrants from Russia and Poland. After graduating from high school at age 16, he attended University of Colorado at Boulder, and was the first in his family to graduate from college. He spent four years in the Navy, where he was a medical researcher and was proud to say that his research at the Bethesda Naval Research Center contributed to the then-evolving space program. In 1968, he graduated from George Washington Medical School. While in medical school, he met the much younger Charlotte Schecter, whom he married in 1969, and they shared the next nearly 55 years “doing life” together.
Lee is preceded in death by his father, Jake, his mother, Sarah, and his beloved dog, Kelev. He is survived by wife, Charlotte, children Melanie and Bart Chapman and Jay and Melanie Bernstein, grandchildren Jacob Ryan, Isaac Donovan, Benjamin Meyer and Hannah Brielle (“Brie”), and cousins Ernie Gilman, Ilyse Zesch Conn and Terese Zesch. He was incredibly proud of his daughter, Melanie, a lawyer, and his son, Jay, a career Air Force fighter pilot, though his kids think he only had them in order to get to the “Zadie” part of life.
Affectionately called “Dr. B” by his thousands of patients and their parents, he began his 52-year career as a pediatrician in 1972 in Columbia, Maryland. Though no one could understand why a pediatrician would be needed in “sin city,” in 1982, Dr. B relocated to Las Vegas, where he spent the next 42 years caring for the children of Las Vegas and their families. He loved his patients like his own and loved to tell everyone about his “grand-patients” whose now-grown parents brought them back to their childhood doctor. He even had a few “great-grand-patients.” Lee dedicated his life to his patients, refusing to retire until shortly before his death. He loved to teach almost as much as he loved watching his patients grow and welcomed medical students into his office for their pediatrics rotations for many decades. He was always quick to lend a hand, whether it was staying late to see one more patient or donating to many different charities. He treated every patient with care, compassion and patience, whether or not they could pay for his services.
Lee was active in the Jewish community, and played a pivotal role in bringing Chabad to Las Vegas, which now boasts a thriving and large orthodox community. His later years were spent as a proud and active member of Community Kollel of Greater Las Vegas. A history buff, politics junkie and science nerd, Lee was affectionately known as a “font of useless knowledge.” He would have been outside looking to the heavens to see the eclipse that is passing over us on the day we lay him to rest, but would be excited to share the day with such an exciting event.
Lee will be deeply missed by all who knew him We take comfort in knowing that he is now at peace.
Lee will be laid to rest at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 7, 2024, at King David Memorial Chapel & Cemetery. His family will sit shiva in his home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Community Kollel of Greater Las Vegas or, in honor of his love of keeping children healthy, to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
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