Fred Chasan (April 4, 1924 – June 20, 2005) was an American

medical doctor A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

from Los Angeles, California and veteran of World War II.Report of Separation with Honorable Discharge
'.'' World War II'','' United States Army. 1946-01-04. pp. 1-2.

Early life and education

Chasan was born April 4, 1924, in New York City to Morris and Pauline (née Philips) Chasan. In 1942, Chasan graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and enrolled in the College of the City of New York majoring in biology for a Bachelor of Science degree. In parallel, he was a

medical research Medical research (or biomedical research), also known as experimental medicine, encompasses a wide array of research, extending from "basic research" (also called ''bench science'' or ''bench research''), – involving fundamental scientif ...

er at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research. After serving as a medic in the United States Army during World War II, Chasan resumed his university studies on the G.I. Bill at New York University, graduating in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and

Chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

. He then pursued a Master of Arts from NYU's School of Education. In 1962, Chasan received a medical degree from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. In 1974, he was awarded a fellowship degree by the

American Academy of Family Physicians The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) was founded in 1947 to promote and maintain high-quality standards for family medicine, an offshoot of the classical general practitioner. It is headquartered in Leawood, Kansas. AAFP is one of ...

Career

In the early 1960s, Chasan's wife Roslyn proposed becoming a lawyer, to which Chasan is said to have remarked, "You helped me through medical school – now I will help you hrough law school" By 1968 Chasan had become the

chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

at the Memorial Hospital of Gardena, and was named medical director by 1977. During his time in private practice, Chasan worked with

Epsilon Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Alpha International () is a community and collegiate service organization for anyone ages 18 and older. The organization states that its purpose "is to inspire leadership and service by bringing good people together to pursue progr ...

to administer thousands of

polio vaccines Polio vaccines are vaccines used to prevent poliomyelitis (polio). Two types are used: an inactivated poliovirus given by injection (IPV) and a weakened poliovirus given by mouth (OPV). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends all chil ...

. After retiring from private medical practice, Chasan rejoined the United States Military as a medical officer in the Navy working as a physician at Naval Medical Center San Diego in Balboa Park.

Personal life

In 1952, Chasan was set up on a blind date with his future wife Roslyn and the couple married in January 1954. The couple had three sons in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including Mark. Early in their marriage, Roslyn worked as a nurse in Chasan's medical practice.

House collapse

In the late 1970s, Chasan and his wife Roslyn built a large Mediterranean-style house on Paseo del Mar in Palos Verdes Estates, California. However, by the early 1980s, a deteriorating city-owned

storm drain A storm drain, storm sewer (United Kingdom, United States, U.S. and Canada), surface water drain/sewer (United Kingdom), or stormwater drain (Australia and New Zealand) is infrastructure designed to Drainage, drain excess rain and ground water ...

system, compounded by a broken water main from the California Water Service Company, led to a

landslide Landslides, also known as landslips, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep-seated grade (slope), slope failures, mudflows, and debris flows. Landslides occur in a variety of ...

. The family was forced to evacuate the house in 1981. By 1983, the house had either collapsed into the sea or been demolished.La Jeunesse, Anne
"Chasan Settlement is Largest in Palos Verdes Estates"
''Palos Verdes Peninsula News and Rolling Hills Herald'' (Print). Vol. XLVIV No. 16. 1986-02-22. pp. 1, 5. A jury determined the city had failed in its responsibility to maintain the storm drain system, resulting in a settlement with the Chasan family.

Later years and death

In the aftermath of the collapse of the house'','' Chasan and Roslyn moved to

Manhattan Beach, California Manhattan Beach is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast south of El Segundo, California, El Segundo, west of Hawthorne, California, Hawthorne and Redondo Beach, California, Red ...

, away from the Los Angeles peninsula. Chasan died on June 20, 2005, and was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in California''.''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chasan, Fred 1924 births 2005 deaths American physicians American surgeons Palos Verdes Peninsula New York University people City College of New York alumni University of California, Irvine people United States Army soldiers United States Navy Medical Corps officers United States Army personnel of World War II Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery