Richard Manuel Zakheim M.D.

78 of Miami, FL passed away on July 28, 2015 from cancer. Son of the late Meyer and Mary (Alper) Zakheim of New York, NY. Beloved husband of Pamela (Katz) Zakheim. Devoted father of Alan Zakheim, MD and wife Sloan (Kroop) Zakheim, Esq. and of Amy (Zakheim) Saffer. Loving Grandfather of Brett and Nadine Zakheim and of Emory and Colby Saffer.

Dr. Zakheim received his medical degree at Albert Einstein Medical School in New York. He interned at Cincinnati General Hospital and was a Resident in Pediatrics at New York Hospital, Cornell Medical College. Two years later he completed his post-doctoral fellowship in laboratory-physiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. He continued to complete both his Clinical fellowship in Cardiology at the Boston Children's Hospital and his Research fellowship in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Immediately after, he became a Pediatrician & Cardiologist for Malcolm Grow USAF Medical Center Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. He then served as an Associate Professor of Pediatric Cardiology at the University of Kansas and went on to serve as the Director of the Pediatric Cardiology Program at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. In 1977 Dr. Zakheim moved to Miami and founded the Pediatric Cardiology Department at Miami Children’s Hospital. In 2006 he also founded the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic at MCH.

In 1999, after his own cancer diagnosis and treatments, he joined his wife Pam in her efforts to open The Wellness Community-Greater Miami, now known as the Cancer Support Community Greater Miami. He devoted countless volunteer hours to that endeavor, helping to form the first Professional Advisory Group and Board of Directors as well as advising her on all the structural, administrative, personnel and financial issues that any beginning operation requires. Despite his demanding work schedule he continued to be an active, committed volunteer, serving on several Committees as well as continuing as an active member of the Board of Directors.

From the onset, Dr. Zakheim brought wisdom, guidance, and a commitment to provide services that meet the highest clinical standards to each of these organizations. Consequently, Dr. Zakheim, and the staff he recruited at MCH, have led the pediatric cardiology division to become a world leader in the care of children with congenital heart disorders. They have treated more children with heart defects than any hospital in Florida with clinical results that have been internationally recognized.

He was honored with the Founders Award on April 11, 2013 by the Cancer Support Community Greater Miami as well as on June 4, 2013 when the City of Miami proclaimed it “Dr. Richard M. Zakheim Day” for his lifetime commitment to saving lives and his contributions to the community.

The funeral will take place on Sunday, August 2, 2015 at 10:00 am at Mount Nebo/Kendall Memorial Gardens, 5900 SW 77th Ave, Miami, FL 33143 The family will receive guests at the Zakheim home on Sunday, August 2, 2015 directly following the funeral until 8:00 pm that evening.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to the Cancer Support Community Greater Miami, 8609 S. Dixie Hwy., Miami, FL 33143 www.cancersupportcommunitymiami.org

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Arrangements under the direction of Riverside Gordon Memorial Chapels at Mount Nebo (Kendall), Miami, FL.