A man with many passions, Dr. Gelman dies at age 74
Far too young, Dr. Lawrence Gelman passed away last week from an unexpected heart attack at the relatively young age of 74.
One of the original founders of DHR Health, Gelman was a man of many passions – in both medicine and art, which included the Gelman Stained Glass Museum in San Juan.
In 1993, he became a public figure when he was elected president of the Hidalgo-Starr Medical Society and started pushing hard against what he described as lawsuit abuse, mainly in the form of too many medical malpractice suits in the RGV.
Circa the early- to mid-2000s, Gelman bought radio time on KURV Saturday mornings, so he could, as he described it, try and educate people about the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, basic government functions.
The fact that the federal government could run roughshod over anyone drove him up a wall.
“Just read the Constitution,” he would say.
In his mind, as he often mentioned on his radio show, the best form of government was a government that governed least, echoing the Henry David Thoreau quote:
“That government is best which governs least.”
He not only knew what the U.S. Constitution said, but he could also do a deep dive into the Federalist Papers and then discuss why the founding fathers felt the way they did. He knew all about early Supreme Court decisions, especially the misguided ones that, as he put it, gave more power to the federal government, while stealing it from the states.
If anyone wanted an intellectual discussion on almost any topic, Gelman was your go-to guy.
The reason why DHR even exists today, the only Trauma Level-1 hospital south of San Antonio, is, in part, due to Gelman’s objection to being told what to do by corporate managers.
He got together with Dr. Carlos Cardenas, Developer Alonzo Cantu, and co-founded Day Surgery at Renaissance in ’97.
Their premise: when it comes to running a hospital, who better than the physicians who own part of it.
As opposed to corporate owners, AKA, bean counters, who don’t even live here.
The day surgery segued into Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, which was already the largest doctor-owned hospital in the U.S. by 2010. That was the same year, by the way, that those very same corporate hospital owners found the “juice” to pass new legislation in D.C, that put an end to doctor-owned hospitals, while grandfathering in existing ones like DHR.
On social media last week, State Senator “Chuy” Hinojosa weighed in after hearing of Gelman’s passing:
“The Gelman family has been on my mind all week. I was saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Lawrence Gelman of McAllen this past Monday (Jan. 19). Dr. Gelman was a longtime friend, one of the founders of DHR, a philanthropist, and a genuinely good man. He made time to visit my office to discuss ways to improve healthcare, never asking for anything for himself — always focused on helping others. As an anesthesiologist, he was always ready to help those in need in the community.”
The staff at the Gelman Stained Glass Museum uploaded this message, in part, to Facebook, recognizing Gelman’s lasting legacy:
"Dr. Gelman was the visionary behind the Gelman Stained Glass Museum and the original curator who brought this extraordinary collection to life. Through his passion and unwavering commitment to the community, he created a space where history, faith, and artistry could be experienced by generations to come.
“His legacy will forever live within these walls, in every stained glass window, and in every visitor inspired by his life’s work.”
Full Obituary
Here is Dr. Lawrence Richard Gelman’s full obituary, courtesy of Kreidler:
Dr. Gelman was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 22, 1951, to Sidney Gelman and Zina Adler, both Holocaust survivors.
A gifted anesthesiologist and critical care specialist, Dr. Gelman devoted his career to caring for patients and mentoring generations of medical professionals.
He was a visionary and trailblazer— strong-willed, passionate, and relentlessly ambitious— who unwaveringly pursued his dreams despite the many challenges and obstacles he faced. He worked tirelessly toward the causes that mattered most to him, including fighting for the undelivered infant, advocating against injustices faced by others in this country and around the world, preserving and celebrating art through his Gelman Stained Glass Museum, and pursuing numerous other ventures.
He will always be remembered for his love of God and family, his adoration of his wife of 46 years, his pride in his children, his generosity to friends and strangers alike, and his wit and brilliance.
He is survived by his wife, Maria Esperanza Gelman; his children, Alexander Gelman (Miriam Gelman), Zina Bash (John Bash), Sharon Gelman, and Rachel Gelman (Rudy Mireles); his grandchildren, Mabel, Diego, Miguel, Maria, and Benjamin; and his three younger brothers, Eddie, Howard (Sophie), and Steve (Arlene).
Rest in Peace.