Dr. Samuel Peter Gotoff
It is with loving remembrance that we announce the passing of
Dr. Samuel Peter Gotoff. Born on March 22, 1933, Sam grew up on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx with his parents Ruth and Arnold and younger brother, Harry. He attended Amherst College, where he played lacrosse, made lifelong friends and met his future wife, Myra Lowenthal.
Sam attended the University of Rochester Medical School and completed his Pediatric training at Yale, followed by a fellowship in Allergy/immunology at Boston Children’s Hospital. He went on to serve as Chairman of Pediatrics at both Michael Reese Hospital and RushPresbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, where he established Rush Children’s Hospital. Dr. Gotoff achieved the rare triad of academic, clinician, and educator. He authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, including a seminal paper that transformed the identification and prevention of Group-B Strep in newborns. He was a mentor to scores of medical students, residents and pediatricians-in-training, who remember him for his attention to detail, depth of knowledge, and dedication to
excellence in the care of children.
Myra and Sam married in 1956, and had three children, Elizabeth, Robert and David. They made their home in Chicago and spent summers in Truro, MA, where they built close friendships spanning multiple generations. In retirement, Sam and Myra split their time between Cape Cod and Sarasota. After Myra’s death in 2008, Sam continued to live life to the fullest, traveling across the globe, supporting the arts, staying active in the Democratic party, and volunteering at a local primary school. His later years were enriched by his dear friend, Judy Ratzan, with whom he made many new memories.
Sam led by example, demanding the same excellence from others he expected of himself. A true head of the family, he remained deeply invested in the education and well-being of his children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren, whom he adored. In addition to his wife Myra, Sam is predeceased by his brother Harold Gotoff. He will be greatly missed by his children, Elizabeth Chadis, Robert and wife Jill, and David and wife Sallie. He leaves behind his greatest legacy, seven grandchildren—Molly and her husband David Micley, Joseph, James, Samuel, Hannah, Sarah, and Benjamin—and two great-granddaughters, Lily and Zoe.
Sam’s wit, wisdom and integrity were admired by all who knew him, and despite knowing more than just about
anyone about the state of world affairs, he remained an optimist to the end.
A memorial service is planned for the summer of 2022, to be held in Truro, MA.