Dr. Leonard Dreifus, the cardiologist who helped found Orlando Philharmonic’s Genius of Youth program, dies at 92.
A philanthropic Orlando-area cardiologist known for his love of the arts and his family died this week.
Dr. Leonard Dreifus, 92, died Thursday at his home in Heathrow.
Dreifus and his wife Seline helped found the Orlando Philharmonic’s Genius of Youth program, which brings talented musicians from the Julliard School to Orlando to perform as soloists.
“They were the spirit, force and funding behind the program,” said David Schillhammer, former executive director of the Philharmonic. “I think it’s a part of what the Philharmonic is.”
The program identified prodigies and gave them the unique experience to perform with a full orchestra. Schillhammer said the Philharmonic would then watch the musicians’ careers develop and get to say, “we knew them when.”
Schillhammer, current executive director of the Enzian Theater, added that he couldn’t talk about Dreifus without talking about his wife.
“They were the quintessential couple and were made for one another,” he said. “They made great contributions of service, love and passion for the orchestra.”
Seline Dreifus met her husband while she was in the United States on vacation from the Netherlands, “and the rest is history,” she said of their 59-year marriage. The couple lived in Philadelphia until 1995 when they moved to Central Florida.
Dreifus was well-known in the cardiology field, and his research was published in more than 250 journals and books. He served as the chief of cardiology in numerous hospitals, and was a professor at several universities, including the University of South Florida. Dreifus also created fellowship programs at Hahnemann and Lankenau hospitals in Philadelphia where he taught cardiologists from around the world.
“I feel like my husband is still living because the men and women he trained have trained others in their own countries,” Seline Dreifus said.
Leonard Dreifus also served in the Army during World War II, an accomplishment of which his youngest son Lenny Dreifus said he was particularly proud.
Lenny Dreifus said that despite his father’s many accomplishments, he was very humble.
“He was more interested in helping people than getting accolades,” Lenny Dreifus said. “He wanted to help other people more than he wanted to help himself.”
Though none of the couple’s three sons are doctors, two grandchildren are following in the footsteps of their grandfather — one is studying cardiac medicine and another is a biomedical engineer doing research in artificial hearts.
“He was quite a remarkable man and he will be missed terribly,” Lenny Dreifus said.
Dreifus is also survived by his sons Henry and David, his sons’ wives, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.