Louis Shlipak

Louis Shlipak, MD, passed away peacefully on February 23, 2020. He was born in Galveston, Texas, on January 28th, 1932, to Aron and Leah Shlipak. He grew up with his older sister, Minnie, surrounded by a close network of extended family and friends, working in his family’s small, corner grocery store and developing a life-long fondness for the beach. After graduating from Ball High, he attended University of Texas at Austin where he earned Phi Beta Kappa as a Junior and was a member of Alpha Epislon Pi fraternity where he formed many deep, lasting friendships. After three years as an undergraduate in premedical studies, he matriculated at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He graduated with highest honors as an Alpha Omega Alpha inductee and chose to pursue a career in internal medicine. He trained at the Philadelphia General Hospital and the Brooklyn Veteran’s Hospital and completed a chief resident year at UT Southwestern. Dr. Shlipak decided to practice in Irving, TX, which at the time was the State’s fastest growing city, but had few doctors and no hospital. Dr. Shlipak was the first internist in Irving and was a founding member of the Irving Community Hospital (now Baylor Scott & White Medical Center at Irving), where he served a term as medical staff president. He was a beloved physician with a thriving practice who was known for his gentle demeanor, deep empathy and ability to hear his patients, integrity, humility, and clinical acumen. Dr. Shlipak continued in Irving for the entirety of his 40 years in medical practice, also serving as adjunct faculty at UT Southwestern. He remained an active leader of the UT Southwestern community Internists’ Club long after retirement. One of Dr. Shlipak’s proudest moments was when the American College of Physicians inducted him as a Fellow with his son, Dr. Michael Shlipak, in 2002.

Dr. Shlipak was married for over 57 wonderful and loving years to Carole Rolnick Shlipak of Dallas, TX, whom he met on a blind date and married 6 months later. Over the many years, not only did they share a deep love for each other, but also together were dedicated parents to their children, Andrea Shlipak Mail and Dr. Michael Shlipak and their son-in-law, Steven Mail, and daughter-in-law, Dr. Anda Kuo. In their later years, they partnered in supporting their favorite causes and organizations, finding a passion for golf, attending every life event of their extensive network of family and friends, and coordinating numerous family vacations with their six cherished grandchildren, Sabrina, Zoe, and Jasmine Mail and Kailee, Kaira, and Kyan Kuo Shlipak.

There will be a memorial service and reception at Temple Emanuel, Dallas, TX, on Tuesday, February 25, at noon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to Temple Emanuel in Dallas or any other worthy cause.