Obituary of Donald Louria

Dr. Donald B. Louria, age 93, of Bernardsville, NJ died July 26, 2021. He was born July 11, 1928 into a family of physicians. Donald graduated with honors from Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn, NY. Subsequently at Harvard College he graduated with honors while collectively earning 11 varsity letters in soccer, wrestling (2-time Captain) and lacrosse. He then entered Harvard Medical School and graduated with honors in 1952. After graduating, Donald completed 2-years of residency training in internal medicine at Cornell University Medical School and The New York Hospital, followed by 2-years at the National Institute of Health focusing on infectious diseases. While at NY Hospital, he was the lead author analyzing the effects of lung complications observed in the 1957 influenza epidemic. Subsequently, he served a 10-year tenure as the Head of the Cornell Infectious Diseases Laboratory at Bellevue Hospital in NYC where he became interested in the medical complications resulting from heroin and other drug abuse. This resulted in his authoring several published papers as well as two books, The Drug Scene and Overcoming Drugs. This led to several direct appointments from Governor Nelson Rockefeller, including Chair of the Public Health Committee of the New York County Medical Society and President of the New York State Council on Drug Addiction. By age 40, in his new athletic passion, Squash, he was ranked 14th overall in the United States and 2nd in the over 40 category. In 1969, he was appointed Chair of the Department of Preventative Medicine and Community Health at the New Jersey Medical School in Newark, NJ – a position he held for 30-years. During his prolific career, Dr. Louria authored over 450 published papers on infectious diseases, preventative medicine, drug abuse and systems thinking. His 18-point health promotion and disease prevention program became law in New Jersey as the Health Wellness Promotion Act. Donald leaves his daughter, Anne Ludes, son-in-law John Ludes, his daughter-in-law Agi Louria, grandchildren, Johnathan, David and his wife Dvora, Stephen, Hannah, Andrew, Gwen, Isabel, & Grace, as well as great-grandson, Lawson. He also leaves his brother-in-law, Wayne Jeffrey Watson as well as his nieces & nephews, Lorie, Maureen, Jeffrey, Leigh, Susan, Tyler, Amanda, Reed, Myles, Holly, Brad, and Tracy. He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara Watson Louria, with whom he celebrated a 65-year marriage, daughter Dana, son, Charles, his parents Dr. Milton and Lucy Louria, sister Dana, brother Lee, sisters-in-law Mary-Ruth, Patricia and Barbara as well as his nephew Christopher.