Sidney N. Franklin

Sidney Norman Franklin, MD died on July 7, 2013 in Los Lunas, NM of old age. He was the last child born to Rose Greenfield Finkelstein and Abraham Finkelstein in Philadelphia Pennsylvania on April 3, 1918. His parents were Russian Jewish immigrants from Odessa who immigrated to this country at the turn of the 20th century. They raised four children, all of whom received college degrees from The University of Pennsylvania and Temple University. Dr. Franklin graduated from Overbrook High School and then received his B.A. degree from The University of Pennsylvania in 1939 as a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society. Because he was part of the seven-year program at Univ. of Penn. Medical School, he received his Doctor of Medicine in 1942. After interning at Philadelphia General Hospital, he was inducted into the U.S. Army as Captain in the Medical Corps. spending three years in the European Theatre attached to General Patton�s Third Army. Dr. Franklin�s unit participated in the Battle of the Bulge during which the U. S. Army crossed the Rhine River on a pontoon bridge as they followed the retreating German army. When the armistice was signed, his unit was part of the liberation of Buchenwald, a Nazi extermination camp, where he became a witness to the Holocaust. Returning to the U.S.in 1948, he completed a fellowship/residency in Internal Medicine at the Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania prior to entering the private practice of Internal Medicine in Philadelphia. He became a Fellow and member of the American College of Physicians soon after. From 1948-68, Dr. Franklin served as an Instructor in Medicine; 1968-71, as an Associate in Medicine; 1971-82 as Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine all in the Department of Medicine at the University of Penn. School of Medicine. From 1955-82, he was Attending Physician at the Diabetes Clinic at the University of Penn. participating in teaching medical students and house officers as part of his responsibilities. From 1950-82, Dr. Franklin was staff physician at the Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic, Broad and Cherry, Philadelphia. In 1977, he was honored with a Meritorious Award by the American Legion for his early recognition of an epidemic of Legionnaires Disease at the Bellevue Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia during the 1977 American Legion convention. His diagnostic acumen and early notification to the CDC of an epidemic was of great medical significance in saving lives. In 1982, he sold his Philadelphia private practice, retired from the VA and the University of Penn. and moved to Orange County, California where he reentered private practice. He received as appointment as Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Cal., Irvine and as an Attending Physician at the Diabetes Clinic at the University of Cal. Medical Center, Orange, Cal. He also served as attending physician at Fullerton College, Fullerton, Cal. Student Health Dept. and at Cypress College, Cypress, Cal. Student Health Center. In 1983, he began to do expert medical reviews in internal medicine for the California Bureau of Medical Quality Assurance, Santa Ana, Cal. He was appointed as the Orange County Medical Consultant to the State Medical Board of California in 1984; in this capacity, he made determinations as to the management of doctors� malfeasance, a responsibility he took very seriously. Dr. Franklin retired from medical practice at the age of 74 and continued his lifelong hobby of raising bonsai and began to collect orchids. He was exceedingly proud of his military service during World War II, as well as his education at the University of Pennsylvania. On May 16, 1997, while in Phil., Pa. for his 55th Medical School reunion, Dr. Franklin made a deposition to �Survivors of the Shoah: Visual History Foundation� whose founding Chairman is Steven Spielberg. All of those audiovisual materials are now housed at University of Southern California as a permanent exhibit to preserve the history of The Shoah of WWII. Dr. Franklin married June Du Bin in 1942 and together they had three sons Daniel A. Franklin, Philadelphia: Kenneth A. Franklin, Lawrenceville. GA; John A. Franklin, Sandy Hook, Connecticut all of whom survive him. June Du Bin Franklin died in October 2010. He is also survived by his daughter-in-law, Sally M. Franklin (Kenneth), and Nicole M. Franklin (John) and three grandchildren, Elizabeth, Tara and Eric Franklin. Shirley C. Kravitz, Phil. PA, his cousin, Ellen Rose his niece, Harris Savin (Ellen�s husband) also survive Dr. Franklin. He was preceded in death by his sisters Sarah Finkelstein Newmark and Lily Finkelstein Laskin and one brother Herman Finkelstein. Dr. Franklin�s second wife Mary V. Pratt, MD whom he married in 1982 survives him as well. In lieu of flowers donations in Dr. Franklin�s memory may be made to the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine where he proudly belonged to the Benjamin Franklin Society. He was a member of The Temple, Atlanta Georgia. A graveside service, with full military honors, will be held on Monday, July 15, 2013, 10:30 am, at Santa Fe National Cemetery, 501 N Guadalupe Street, Santa Fe. Services are entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Services 1100 Coal Ave SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 505-842-8800