Steven Edward Lipshultz

In the early morning of Saturday, September 5, 2026, Steven Edward Lipshultz, MD passed away peacefully at the age of 72 in Rochester, New York. He moved on in comfort surrounded by family and embraced with their love and support.

Steve was born in Tenafly, New Jersey on March 25, 1954, to Harry and Anita Lipshultz. Growing up with his two brothers, Richard (Michelle Lipshultz) and Jack (Susan Campbell), Steve was an accomplished photographer, operating out of a dark room in the basement of his father’s dental practice. He was an avid reader growing up, having checked out and read every book in the local library. He played football for the Tenafly High School team. He was an exchange student in Mexico where he became proficient in Spanish. He also had a love for the outdoors, serving as a camp counselor and doctor for decades in New Hampshire and spending summers studying marine sciences at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA.

Above all else, Steve was a family man. Family was the most important piece of his puzzle, and to know Steve was to know every accomplishment of each of his children as they were his greatest source of pride and joy. He met his late wife, Tracie Lea Miller, MD, while working in a veterinarian laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania in 1980. They married on the beach of Cape Cod in 1984. Steve and Tracie had four beautiful children together: Hannah Megan (Jordan Zornes), Zachary Andrew (Sarah Medina), Emma Rachel (Tre Williams), and Sarah Olivia (Javon Greaves). Steve was also a doting Poppy to his four young grandchildren: Joelle Lea Zornes, Rose Kay Zornes, Max Herman Zornes, and Stevie Lea Williams. He was notorious for showing up to his grandchildren’s birthday parties with suitcases filled to the brim with wrapped presents he had been collecting for months, earning his title of the most coveted guest at the party. Beyond the presents, his physical, mental and emotional presence at every milestone and life event for each of his children and grandchildren could not be ignored. Togetherness was his motto, and he wove this togetherness into the fabric of his family. His memory will be cherished and passed down forever. Personally, this is his legacy.

Steve made an indelible impact on the medical profession and the patients he served which will be felt for generations to come. After graduating Tenafly High School in 1972, Steve continued his undergraduate studies in Biology at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating cum laude in 1976. He earned a Master of Arts in Developmental, Molecular and Cellular Biology concurrently at the University of Pennsylvania in 1980. He went on to earn his Doctor of Medicine in 1981 from Dartmouth Medical School and later completed his residency in Pediatrics at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital (Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine) in 1984. From there, he completed a fellowship in Pediatric Clinical Cardiology at Boston Children’s Hospital (Harvard Medical School) in 1986, followed by a research fellowship in the American Heart Association-Bugher Foundation Center for Molecular Biology in the Cardiovascular System at Boston Children’s Hospital (Harvard Medical School). He began his career as Harvard faculty in 1986.

Steve was a medical visionary, a tireless researcher, a founder of the field of pediatric cardio-oncology and pediatric cardiomyopathy and a mentor to countless trainees. For every decision he made as a doctor, he was guided by one principle: do what is best for the child and help to change the ending. He believed wholeheartedly in the quoted task of medicine: “Cure sometimes, relieve often, care always.” He healed children in their entirety, beyond their physical ailments, providing individualized, competent and compassionate care to each who crossed his path. Steve had an immeasurable impact on the lives of thousands of children both globally and in every community he worked: Boston MA (Harvard Medical), Rochester NY (University of Rochester), Miami FL (University of Miami), Detroit MI (Wayne State University), and Buffalo NY (University at Buffalo). He treated each day as his last and each patient as his first. Although he will no longer be physically caring for his patients, his research has and will continue to save children’s lives throughout the world. His impact through his clinical work and research extends far beyond his lifetime, though perhaps his most rewarding work came in the form of servant leadership and mentorship to trainees. He reveled in showing others their own potential, instilling enthusiasm and idealism in learning and discovery into others and leading by example. He measured his life’s work by meaning and purpose and fulfilled both fully and beautifully. Professionally, this is his legacy.

A memorial service will be held for Steve on Tuesday September 8, 2026 at Gutterman and Musicant Jewish Funeral Directors, 402 Park St in Hackensack New Jersey. The ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by a procession to Beth El Cemetery (Paramus) for Steve’s burial service. An inurnment service for Tracie will be held at the Garden of Memories Mausoleum at approximately 12:30 p.m. All are encouraged to attend. For Steve’s friends and colleagues unable to be there in person, the ceremony will be streamed on zoom, Meeting ID: 922 9650 5123; Passcode: 173430.

In lieu of flowers or other contributions, the family requests that donations be made to two non-profit organizations Steve adored.

Sofia’s Hope, founded by the family of one of Steve’s patients, Sofia Blanco, to further research into advancing pediatric cardio-oncology: https://www.sofiashope.org/mission

Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation: https://www.childrenscardiomyopathy.org/