Fred Goldner, Jr., MD, May 21, 1925 - April 3, 2021 was born in Nashville, TN. He is predeceased by his parents, Fred Goldner, Sr. and Ida Weinberg Goldner and his sisters, Norma Neaderthal and Reta Guttman.
People who surrounded his life were inspired by his positive gentle charm and dry wit…Very dry. He had a spirit of faith and courage that enabled him to approach each day with tenacity and lightness of heart—always with hope. He had many accomplishments, but his greatest legacy is the love of his family. He will always be an inspiration for his children and grandchildren. He led an exemplary life. Above all, his love of his wife, Martha of 66 years has been an example for anyone who came to know them.
In honor of his life, and in lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make donations to the Adventure Science Center dedicated to the Arthur Lee Goldner Exhibition Hall and Nashville NPR.
Dr. Goldner graduated Cum Laude from Vanderbilt Pre-Med (1945-48) where he was president of ZBT, served as Circulation Manager of The Hustler and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. A wrestler, played baseball which later ignited his devotion to Boston Red Sox and Vandy Basketball.
He interned at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta and at Boston City Hospital, and was a resident at the Brigham Hospital in Boston and at Vanderbilt. He was a Captain in the U.S. Army and served in the Surgical Research Unit at Brooke Army Hospital in Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. He co-established the first Artificial Kidney Unit for the Armed Services. In Nashville, he founded the first clinic with an artificial kidney unit in Tennessee. He was also elected to the American Society of Hypertension and member of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. He was passionate about medicine and his practice focused on prevention of high blood pressure and high blood pressure control.
He was president of the Nashville Cardiovascular Society and the Upper Cumberland Medical Society. He established Nashville’s Cardiac Work and Exercise Evaluation Clinic at Vanderbilt Hospital. He had many medical articles published.
His membership and association with The Temple Ohabai Sholom was defining of his religious life. Fred studied to make a Bar Mitzvah with Cantor Bernard Gutcheon at age 85. He served as president where he initiated the first Social Action Committee and was a long-term member of the executive committee.
Additionally, he was a member of the Gordon Jewish Community Center (Board) and head of the Men’s Division of the Jewish Welfare Fund; a member of Sherith Israel Synagogue; and also a secretary and member of the initial Vanderbilt Board of Directors of Hillel.
He was pre-deceased by his son, Arthur Lee Goldner, MD. He is survived by his wife, Martha Helen Unobskey Goldner, and their three children: Cynthia Goldner, Francie (Michael Niederman) and Fredjoseph (Carmen Porras) and grandchildren, Aaron, Natalie, and Hannah, Dorian and Julian.
He retired as an Emeritus Professor of Clinical Medicine at Vanderbilt University, and wrote and published Practice, Practice, Practice-Slices of Life from a Career in Medicine which detailed more than 50 years treating, diagnosing and referring patients. To recognize the depth of this accomplishments, in 2015 Vanderbilt University elected Dr. Goldner to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
The Family wants to express their gratitude to Alive Hospice, Lisa Koenig, Cindie Wiedeman, and the many caregivers who have helped us through the years, most recently Nadine Rigsby, Max Ebanks and Lucinda Johnson. His office staff of Trudi McDougall, Nadine Norman and Gladys Moore made all the difference to the office’s management and cordiality.
Service will be held at 1:30pm on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 Via ZOOM from The Temple Ohabai Sholom. Those wishing to join may do so at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84134598244
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