Alan Sherwin Rapperport,MD

November 14, 1933 – July 30, 2026

Dr. Alan Sherwin Rapperport, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, physician, mentor, and humanitarian, passed away on July 30, 2026. He was 92 years old.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 14, 1933, to Carl and Rose Rapperport, Alan lived a life defined by determination, generosity, and excellence. When he was a child, Alan’s parents welcomed Holocaust refugee children into their home, an act of generosity that profoundly shaped his lifelong commitment to serving others. Alan remained close to these foster siblings throughout his life, and always took great pride in giving back. Throughout the course of his medical career, he quietly donated his time and surgical expertise for countless patients who could not afford treatment, and provided humanitarian reconstructive surgery aboard the Hope Ship in Cartagena, Colombia. He believed every person deserves compassionate care.

In 1951, he was accepted to Harvard College on an academic scholarship. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College before earning his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine and completing his residency in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch. When he wasn’t studying or working, he was in the pool. Over the course of his lifetime, he set six world records and thirteen American records, and ranked top in his age class well into his eighties – even amidst numerous serious health setbacks. He remained an avid swimmer, free diver, and scuba diver well after his 90th birthday.

For more than 56 years, Dr. Rapperport cared for thousands of patients throughout South Florida, building a distinguished career in plastic and reconstructive surgery within the South Miami and Baptist Hospital systems. An Associate Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine for more than four decades, he mentored generations of physicians and authored more than 30 medical publications. He also served as a Major in the U.S. Army Medical Reserve Corps.

Alan possessed an unwavering zest for living and a determination that carried him through challenges that would have stopped many others. At age twelve, he survived a devastating fall from a garage roof that left him unconscious for ten days, a story he later described as the first of several times he had “cheated death.” Over the years, he survived two aortic dissections with open heart surgeries, episodes of heart failure, and lived his last 9 years with multiple myeloma. Time and again, he defied the odds, returning to swimming, free diving, and spending time with his loved ones with optimism, humor, and gratitude.

Above all else, Alan loved spending time with his family. He is survived by his beloved wife of more than 64 years, Sue Rapperport; his children Jill Ellen Rapperport Riess, Karen Rapperport Joblove, and David Andrew Rapperport; his grandchildren Mark Joblove, Sarah Marie Saydun, Jennifer Joblove, and Eden Faith Rapperport; his great-grandchildren James and Charlotte Joblove; and his sister, Judith Rapperport.

Dr. Rapperport's legacy lives on in the lives he healed, the physicians he mentored, the family he cherished, and the countless people touched by his extraordinary skill and vivacious spirit. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rapperport Scholarship Fund at Harvard University. To donate, go to tinyurl.com/InMemoryOfASR . Under “select a fund”, choose “OTHER”. Type in “Rapperport Scholarship Fund”