Dr. Harvey S. Kantor

Dr. Harvey S. Kantor, 88, of Lincolnshire, Illinois, passed away on June 24th, 2026. He is survived by his wife, Elvia “Ellie” Kantor (née Armendariz); stepchildren, Harold (Ewa) and Eric (Lori) Frostick; grandchildren, Liam, Harrison, Ethan, David, Grace, and Ellie; and his sister, Gail Demarco.

Dr. Kantor was born to the late Jack and Henrietta Kantor on April 30th, 1938 in New York, New York. He was fascinated by science from a very early age, and by twelve years old, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in medicine, even writing to Harvard Medical School to inquire about what courses he would be able to take there. During his high school years, he worked as a hospital orderly at Jacksonville Memorial. After graduating from the University of Miami, he received a four-year scholarship which enabled his studies at the Washington University School of Medicine, and he graduated in 1962, specializing in infectious disease. From 1964 to 1966, Dr. Kantor proudly served as a Captain in the United States Army Medical Corp., and he spent the three years that followed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Throughout his career, Dr. Kantor upheld many post-doctoral appointments. Notably, he served as Professor of Internal Medicine and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Texas Tech Health Science Center from 1993 to 2002, and he was also an HIV physician and co-director of the HIV Clinic at Clover House Assistance Services from 1996 to 2002. In 2005, he resumed his role as a professor of medicine at Chicago Medical School Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. He was the recipient of several awards and honors, including the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, a member of many professional societies, and a chairman on a variety of research and review committees. Dr. Kantor was a scientific researcher in the truest sense, contributing to three medical textbooks and publishing his valuable research in over fifty-five journal articles, abstracts, and invited presentations. To say Dr. Kantor’s work was prolific would be an understatement, as he was a passionate, nationally recognized, and truly prominent member of the medical community, later honoring his roots and giving back by establishing his own scholarship at the Washington University School of Medicine.

After his retirement in 2017, Dr. Kantor had even more time to explore his other interests. He enjoyed cooking and fine dining, travelling, and photography, and was a member of the Dewar’s Highlander Clan. His family will remember him as steady, legacy-oriented, and deeply loving. Dr. Kantor impacted many people on a personal and professional level, and he will be truly missed by all whose lives he touched.

A visitation will be held from 12:00 noon to 4:00 PM on Thursday, July 2nd, 2026 at Oehler Funeral Home, 2099 Miner Street, Des Plaines, Illinois, with a funeral service immediately to follow at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Harvey’s name may be made to the Washington University School of Medicine.