Murray L. Katcher, husband, father, physician, pediatrician, public health advocate, and friend of many, died on July 13, 2024, following complications from a fall. He was 79.
Murray grew up in Toledo, Ohio. In 7th grade, he met his future wife, Susan, and asked her to go to a Boy Scout Halloween dance with him, which she did. Murray’s mother drove the car. Years later, Murray and Susan met again in their AP chemistry class in the 12th grade. Then the chemistry of interpersonal relations began! The two were lifelong best friends and partners. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary in June.
After starting college at the University of Toledo, Murray transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he majored in chemistry. He came to Madison in 1968, entering the UW Graduate School to work on a doctorate in inorganic chemistry. While completing his Ph.D., he decided to follow his long-held interest in medicine and was accepted into the UW Medical School (now the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health), ultimately choosing pediatrics as his area of interest. Murray held the position of Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Population Health. As such, he saw patients, conducted research, and published a ton of articles. He taught general pediatrics and injury prevention to a variety of health professions students. For over two decades, he was the director of MEDiC at the Salvation Army Clinic, where he supervised UW student clinicians as they provided medical care for mothers and children. He was passionate about advocating for injury prevention policy. His work was instrumental at a national level in convincing manufacturers to preset their water heaters to a safe temperature to prevent scalding burns to the elderly and infants.
Later in his career, Murray was named one of Wisconsin’s Chief Medical Officers, working as the State Maternal and Child Health Director in the Department of Health Services. He had a long and distinguished record of involvement with the American Academy of Pediatrics, with community-based organizations, setting public health policy, and working with diverse groups, including Wisconsin’s Indigenous Peoples and Amish communities. Numerous awards recognizing his teaching, service, and community advocacy were given to Murray throughout the years. In 2023, the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison honored him by establishing the Murray Katcher Child Health Advocacy Lectureship. He gave the inaugural lecture in April 2023.
Murray was an enthusiast of exploring and seeing new sights, starting from his college days when he hitchhiked through Europe. He traveled to various places for work and personally with his family. He made trips connected with his public health and injury prevention interests to Sudan, Japan, and other countries, and participated in international pediatric injury prevention conferences. The family traveled extensively together, throughout the U.S. as well as an extended trip by car exploring parts of Europe. Murray was especially proud of his daughter Lilah, a writer and poet, and son Aaron, therapist and musician, both of whom, with their mother, still recall those family adventures as treasured memories.
Murray was preceded in death by his father and mother, Mendel and Mary, and by his in-laws whom he loved and who loved him, Dr. Ben and Belle Schulak. His wife and his children survive him. The family would like to acknowledge and thank the clinical staff and caregivers at the UW Hospital and also at Agrace Hospice for the excellent care they gave to Murray. Burial will be private.
We will be holding a memorial service for Murray at 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 25, 2024 at the Cress Center, 6021 University Avenue, Madison, WI. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. There will be no visitation prior to the service, but time to visit afterwards. We hope you are able to attend.
If you were unable to attend and wish to view the service taping, please reach out to Murray's family. (sskatcher@gmail.com)
Those who wish to make a charitable contribution in Murray’s name might consider a donation to PBS Wisconsin, https://pbswisconsin.org/, or to Jewish Social Services, https://jssmadison.org/, with the contribution earmarked towards funding to provide interpreters for Deaf clients, or to the Murray Katcher Child Advocacy Lectureship, give.wiscmedicine.org/MurrayKatcher. (For those interested in viewing Murray’s inaugural lecture, it is available at https://www.pediatrics.wisc.edu/child-health-advocacy-lecture/)
Cress Center
6021 University Ave. Madison
(608) 238-8406