Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Arnold J. Lazar, MD, age 68, died the morning of June 13, 2014 after a long battle with cancer. He was 68 years old. Dr. Lazar was a practicing obstetrician and gynecologist in Central Florida for 38 years. He received his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering and his medical degree from the University of Iowa. It was during their residency at the University of Iowa that he and Donald Diebel, MD decided to begin practicing in Orlando. Together they co-founded OB&GYN Specialists, which has since grown to include 13 physicians and three practice locations located in Winter Park, Oviedo, and Sand Lake. Since the year 2000, he was selected each year as one of Orlando’s best doctors by Orlando Magazine. He often said that attending a birth is “simply the neatest thing in the world.” He served as co-director of Medical Education for the OB/GYN training program for 9 years at Orlando Regional Medical Center and was the director of Obstetrical Services for the Florida Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Program. He then went on to hold several medical leadership positions at Orlando Health. After being chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for 6 years, he went on to become the vice chief of staff and chairman of the leadership committee at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women. He then served as chief of the Medical Staff and was a member of the board of directors of Orlando Regional Healthcare. He considered his intimate involvement in the advocacy, planning, design, and opening of Winnie Palmer Hospital to be one of the highlights of his career.

On May 6, 2014, the administration at Winnie Palmer Hospital dedicated the Arnold J. Lazar, MD Conference Center in his honor. He was a member of numerous national and state professional societies; including serving as Diplomat of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Dr. Lazar was born and raised in Skokie, Illinois. He attended the University of Iowa from 1965-1969 on a Gymnastics scholarship. During his last year of competition, he and his brother were members of the Big Ten championship team of 1968. He was a member of the local cycling group Team Boris and spent many happy days on his bicycle. He was a long-standing member of Temple Israel in Winter Springs. He is survived by Melanie Minear-Lazar (wife) and Adam Lazar (son) of Orlando, Katherine Lazar (daughter) of Tampa, and brother Mark (Linda) Lazar of Des Moines, Iowa. He is preceded in death by daughter, Dana (1982) and parents Bertha (Golub) and Irving Lazar.

Funeral services were held at Temple Israel cemetery with Rabbi Joshua Neely officiating. The family requests memorial contributions to Orlando Health Foundation/ Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies, 3160 Southgate Commerce Blvd., Suite 50, Orlando, Fla. 32806. Arrangements were entrusted to Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel, 640 Lee Road, Orlando 32810.