Dr. Harvey Gilbert, a beloved physician who transformed cancer care in California's Central Valley and touched countless lives with his extraordinary compassion and infectious laugh, passed away on Oct. 31, 2024, at the age of 84.
Born on July 31, 1940, in Kansas City, Missouri, Harvey celebrated his bar mitzvah and confirmation from Kehilath Israel Synagogue and also became an Eagle Scout. He enjoyed playing the saxophone and was a member of a popular band while attending Paseo High School. He went to the University of Missouri to attend the University of Missouri Medical School. It was there, on St. Patrick's Day 1963, that he met Deanne Manfield, then a college student, who would become the love of his life. Their whirlwind romance led to an engagement that June, and they married the following year. He would forever playfully claim it was her lavender-mist Oldsmobile convertible that sealed the deal. After graduating medical school in 1965, he answered the call to serve his country, spending 1966 in Vietnam as a physician aboard the USNS Eltinge, a troop transport, followed by three years of active duty.
After completing his radiation oncology training at UCLA, Dr. Gilbert began his practice at Kaiser in Los Angeles. His true legacy would be realized through the establishment of the Ben Schaffer Cancer Institute in Lodi, California, in 1997. Together with his wife, Dr. Gilbert revolutionized rural cancer care by creating more than just a cutting-edge treatment center; they built a sanctuary of healing. The facility featured waterfall gardens, treatment room murals, massage therapy, a smoothie bar and private spaces for patients. Under his leadership, the center brought the first PET scanner to California's Central Valley, making this vital diagnostic technology accessible to local patients who previously had to travel significant distances for such critical scans. The center embodied his belief that comprehensive cancer care must address both body and spirit.
As an oncologist and author, Dr. Gilbert's brilliant mind earned him professional acclaim, but it was his enormous heart that defined him. He was a tireless advocate for peace in Israel and stood firmly against antisemitism, embodying the Jewish principle of tzedakah through his lifelong commitment to justice and healing.
However, of all his accomplishments, none brought him more joy than his role as husband, father and grandfather. Through 60 years of marriage, he built a beautiful life centered on love, Judaism and family. To his children, Jill and Jason, he was the father who would move mountains while still letting them find their own path. To his grandchildren, Brody and Naomi, whom he lovingly called his "dividends," he was a source of boundless pride and unconditional love.
Even as health created limitations in his later years, Dr. Gilbert's capacity for friendship never dimmed. He treasured his relationships with everyone from lifelong friends to new companions at Rossmoor, his heart having endless room for all who crossed his path.
Dr. Gilbert is survived by his loving wife Deanne; his sister, Janice Coldiron; children, Jill and Jason; grandchildren, Brody and Naomi; and a community of patients, colleagues and friends who will deeply miss his wisdom, warmth and that remarkable laugh that could fill any room with joy.
A memorial service filled with loved ones near and far was held on Nov. 3, 2024.
Those wishing to honor his memory through tzedakah may make donations at either the Jewish National Fund (my.jnf.org/memorial/harveygilbert) or B'nai Israel of Rossmoor (P.O. Box 2070, Walnut Creek, CA 94595).