Dr. Lowell A. Goldsmith

Dr. Lowell A. Goldsmith, MD, MPH, passed away early Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Dr. Goldsmith was a thirty-year resident of Durham, a professor of medicine at Duke University, a leading teacher and researcher in dermatology, and a pillar of multiple communities. He died peacefully surrounded by family. 

 Lowell was born in Brooklyn, New York, March 29, 1938. He was the oldest son of Isidore and Ida Goldsmith. He attended Columbia College of Columbia University and SUNY-Downstate Medical School, and soon began to specialize in dermatology. He held a residency at Harvard Medical School, became a tenured faculty member at Duke University, and then served as chair of dermatology, chair of medicine, and dean of the medical school at the University of Rochester where he was also awarded a master's degree in public health. He returned to North Carolina after his retirement from the University of Rochester and became an emeritus faculty member at UNC-Chapel Hill. As a doctor, his goal was preventing suffering and increasing happiness. 

 Lowell married Carol Goldsmith, his wife of 64 years, in 1960. He is survived by Carol, his brother Seth, his daughters Meredith and Eileen, and multiple nephews and nieces. He was a world traveller who loved art, culture, music, and conversation. He made friends across the globe, who were always touched by his kindness. 

 He was a long-time member of Judea Reform Congregation in Durham and an active member of the community at the Forest at Duke, where he lived since 2017 and served as webmaster. He will be sorely missed by family, friends, and the many communities of which he was a part.