SAN DIEGO (SDJW) – More details have been obtained by San Diego Jewish World about the life of Dr. Cantor Louis Towne, who besides being an orthopedic surgeon served as a cantor for a variety of congregations in the county, including Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, the extension in North Park of Beth Jacob Congregation, and congregations at local military installations.
Towne, 85, died on Saturday, July 6, leaving a wife, Ruth; brother Norman; sister Anita; sons-in-law Ted and Joel, and grandchildren Ariella, Philip, Aidin, Adam, Micah, and Eliora.
A eulogy composed by Towne’s daughters Tamar and Elana augments another by their sister Danielle that was published in our July 9 edition.
Their eulogy, delivered July 9 at Home of Peace Cemetery in a ceremony officiated by Rabbi Scott Meltzer of Ohr Shalom Synagogue, is here reprinted:
“He was born on July 21, 1938 in Long Beach, CA. He relished life and always saw the good in the world and all people- always having a twinkle in his eye and joyously finding ways to be just a little mischievous. I’m sure he felt a little bad about stabbing his brother with the Civil War Swords as they play-fought and for pulling out the bottom can of a display at a grocery store which caused all the cans to fall… or maybe he wasn’t.
“From an early age Judaism shaped his life. At 5 he was active in the Boyle Heights synagogue, leading the children’s service. He was in the first class of the Los Angeles Jewish Academy. He then went to Fairfax High School where he sang in the choir and was the kicker on the football team. College brought him to UCLA where he was Pre-Med majoring in zoology. He did take his love of football to the UCLA freshman football field where he tried out, but soon realized when the defensive line was fast approaching, that it was better to be the team doctor at UCLA than a player. He also became the team doctor for Patrick Henry Hight School and SDSU.
“While he was always a focused student, he was not so focused that he was entirely immune from distraction which came in the form of a particularly beautiful 16 year-old Ruth Kaplow, who came from New York to California to visit family. He grabbed the opportunity to ask her out to the theatre. Little did she know that he was the usher and the “date” meant she would be helping. A few years later while an Intern at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, he had a weekend off and decided to visit family in New York, hoping for a good meal. He showed up at our grandparents’ house only to find them heading out for a very fancy anniversary celebration. He of course was included. At that dinner, our beloved grandfather Philip said to our mom that he had a premonition that she was going to get married, Dad then looked up at Mom…and four months later they were married.
“Dad started his career in medicine at 16 years old at Ceders of Lebanon Hospital, where he worked with doctors on the artificial heart, lung and kidney machine.
“After completing medical school and 2 years of residency at UCLA, he was promptly drafted into the Air Force. He was asked where he wanted to go, and he said, “Europe or the east coast.” So off to Newfoundland they were sent. My dad talked about what a wonderful year he and my mom spent there. Of course, there were stories of running off icy roads three times in one day, and getting in trouble for showing up on base in civilian clothes because he was baking cookies with the mayor’s family.
“To complete his residency, they returned to LA, where Tamar and Elana were born. After residency, the family moved to San Diego and shortly thereafter Danielle was born. He opened his own medical practice as an Orthopedic Surgeon where he put patients back together for 51 years.
“His office was always a fun destination, and he never stopped us from having crutches races down the hallway. He always treated patients, everyone he worked with, or encountered with kindness, equality, and as a friend. While he was first our dad, he was also a hero and mentor. He took us on hospital rounds, which of course inevitably ended with a cookie in the doctor’s lounge. He showed us the joy and honor of helping people heal. He was so excited to change the sign on his office door from Dr. Towne to Dr. Towne and father. He was also happy to be on the look-out to make a shidduch for any nice Jewish boy or girl that walked into his office.
“At UCLA his AEPi nickname was RebDoc. It was a foreshadow of what was to come. He became a cantor and it was so special that Danielle was able to be in Israel with him when he was ordained. Mom became a “canterina,” and he inspired so many with his beautiful voice, love of Judaism, and knowledge of Torah. He was a chazzan at Beth Shalom, the little Beth Jacob, and also led high holiday services for the military here in SD. He filled our home with Jewish traditions and holidays, teaching us and giving us a beautiful foundation upon which we could grow, and ultimately to pass on to his grandchildren.
“Jewish holidays were always filled with his singing and of course his relishing all of mom’s amazing cooking. He took great pride in watching his grandchildren become strongly dedicated and active Jews.
“Family was always so important to him and brought him so much joy. He always supported our passions and was our biggest cheerleader. I’m sure a lot of you here can related to having a conversation with him where he proudly recounted his children’s and grandchildren’s achievements.
“Dad gave us the world. He loved traveling and meeting people who soon became his friends. We were so fortunate to take so many family trips together. We will never forget him jumping into the cold waterfall at Ein Gedi, getting locked in the bath house in Caesaria, leading services in the Old-New Shul in Prague, running down the street in Jordan in a bath towel calling to Danielle to bring him a camera, showing up with the chief rabbi of Israel at our Warsaw hotel lobby and so much more.
“Dad had the most beautiful voice and besides cantorial music, he loved opera. While sometimes we had to put our hands over our ears when he hit a high C. He shared his love of opera with us all. We were treated to special date nights with him where we would study the libretto with him, go out for dinner and then the opera, all dressed up. At one performance of Pagliacci there was a request for a doctor in the house. Dad raced back and at every opera after, we were then allowed to go backstage and see the set and meet the performers.
“There is so much more that made up our amazing father but what we want you to know is that we are so grateful to have been his daughters and that we treasure him and love him and will miss him every day.”
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San Diego Jewish World staff report