Paul Joshua Peckar

Paul J. Peckar passed away at the age of 86 after a remarkable life defined by intellectual curiosity, a distinguished career in medicine and psychiatry, and a lifelong love of music, the arts, food, travel, and learning.

An exceptional student, Paul graduated from high school early and attended Cornell University, where he earned a degree in mathematics. He continued his education at the University of Chicago, earning both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in physical chemistry. He later taught chemistry at Trinity College in Washington, D.C., and wrote for Chemical & Engineering News, putting his talents as a writer and scientist to work.

Paul eventually turned his interests toward medicine. He attended Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, where he earned his M.D. It was in Cleveland, at Mt. Sinai Hospital, that he met his wife, Pamela.

Paul served in the U.S. Public Health Service and practiced as a general physician in Tennessee and Massachusetts before specializing in psychiatry. He completed his psychiatric residency at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., and opened his private psychiatry practice in the early 1980s. He was also affiliated with Mount Vernon Hospital. Over his career, he cared for and connected with countless patients, many of whom remained an important part of his life for decades.

Thirty-six years before his death, Paul survived a life-threatening event that profoundly altered his life. The challenges that followed were enormous, but so was his determination to remain independent and live life on his own terms. He continued his medical practice, traveled, pursued his many interests with characteristic enthusiasm, and remained deeply engaged with the world around him.

He was an avid hockey fan and a longtime Washington Capitals season ticket holder, attending countless games with his family and many friends. He loved music and the performing arts and sang in his synagogue choir for many years. He had an extraordinary memory, effortlessly recalling lyrics to songs he hadn’t heard in decades and reciting poems word for word.

Paul had a big personality, a sharp sense of humor, and no shortage of opinions. In his later years, he enjoyed spending time at the Eagles Club, talking and debating with friends and those around him. Paul made an impression on people and was not easily forgotten.

Paul is survived by his wife, Pamela; his daughter Caroline (Carrie) and her partner Michael Wexler; his son Erik and his partner Keely Menezes; his daughter Helena (Lanie) and her husband Brian Brown; his grandchildren, Wesley and Sutton; and extended family. He will also be remembered by the many patients, colleagues, friends, and others whose lives he touched throughout his long career and remarkable life.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, November 12 at 10:30am at Beth El Hebrew Congregation, 3830 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Paul's memory to the Burn Center at MedStar Washington Hospital Center: https://www.medstarhealth.org/philanthropy/get-involved/the-burn-center-at-medstar-washington-hospital-center.