Morton David Prager

We who knew and loved him mourn the loss of Morton David Prager who died May 31, 2023, at the age of 95. Morton was born December 12, 1927, to William and Elizabeth Levy Prager, and lived in Dallas, Texas. He is survived by his brother Jerome L. (Phyllis Kris), his children Karen (Greg Eaves, of blessed memory), David (Theresa Kwong), Neal (Lori Brotman), Brian, stepson Harry (Terri Hunter) Budow, grandchildren Zachary (Molly O’Neill), Sarah (Joe Slater), Wesley, and Louis, and great-grandchildren Ellie and Nora. Morton grew up in Dallas’ original Jewish neighborhood of South Dallas and attended Forest Avenue High School. He then attended the University of Texas at Austin for his undergraduate degree in Chemistry and began his life-long love affair with all things Longhorn. For the rest of his life Morton rode the ups and downs of being a Texas football fan. He never missed a game unless he had to, whether on television or back in the days of transistor radio.

He received his Ph.D. at Purdue University and entered the new field of biochemistry on the ground floor, his academic home thenceforth. Morton’s proudest accomplishments involved his research, in which he 1) discovered an aspect of antibodies necessary to fully understand antibody structure, 2) made major contributions to the development of asparaginase treatment protocols for acute leukemia, still used after 50 years in the treatment of children, and 3) discovered that immunization for cancer in mammals was possible. Highly respected in his chosen field, Morton gave invited addresses at universities and conferences worldwide.

Morton’s first job after graduate school was at B.F. Goodrich Rubber Company in Cleveland, Ohio. It was there that he met his wife, Lois Lurie. The couple moved to Dallas with their first child in 1953 and had children Karen, David, Neal, and Brian from 1952 to 1959. Morton worked for Wadley Research Institute until the mid-1960s at which point he became Professor of Surgery and Biochemistry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School for over 40 years. Morton was a beloved and rigorous instructor in basic sciences for medical students and supervised graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who became successful scientists.

He was a family man who enjoyed taking his children on adventures around Dallas (the zoo, the State Fair, movies, museums, and downtown to the Zodiac Room at Neiman-Marcus). His wife Lois helped raise their children then died in 1992. Later, he married Jacqueline Lissauer Budow whom he’d known since college and was happily married for over 26 years until her death in 2021. Mort and Jacque traveled the world until well into their eighties.

For all his life, Morton was a gifted instructor and loved teaching; he excelled in explaining complex and difficult concepts with clarity without oversimplifying. With a brilliant mind he managed to convey respect for his listeners and joy with his topic while responding to questions. He shared a broad range of interests and areas of expertise with his eager listeners. He taught the Medical Ethics course to students in SMU’s Masters in Literary Studies program. He also served on Medical Ethics boards for U.T. Southwestern and the Union of Reform Judaism.

Morton possessed a truly remarkable mind. In addition to being a career scientist, he was well-versed in philosophy, literature, and poetry. Upon request he could recite his favorite poems from memory. His favorite poets included William Wordsworth and Emily Dickenson; he also loved classical and romantic music, particularly Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky. His children fondly remember evenings of sitting around their Dad’s chair while he read them poems from James Whitcomb Riley and Ernest Lawrence Thayer, among others. He retained a love for Jewish learning and study and was a much-admired member of Temple Emanuel, where he continued to participate in the intellectual life of the Jewish community well into his nineties.

His friends and admirers remember him with love and appreciation for his brilliant mind, ready smile, and generous heart. He will be sorely missed but with gratitude for his long, rich, and fulfilling life and the love he gave.

A memorial service for Morton will be held Friday, June 2, 2023 at 10:30 AM at Temple Emanu-El, 8500 Hillcrest Rd., Dallas, TX 75225.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Prager family.