Swampscott Resident Howard E. Rotner Remembered

This obituary was submitted to Patch:

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Howard E. Rotner, MD, of Swampscott, passed away on January 3, 2024 at the age of 88.

Married to Sandy Rotner for 62 years who predeceased him, he leaves behind Pamela Rotner Sakamoto, Philip Rotner (Kim), and Beth Davis (Chip), as well as his seven grandchildren: Ben, Brad, Masa, Sam, Brian, Anna, and Zach. He also leaves his sister-in-law Judy Leeder and beloved nieces and nephews. Howard courageously battled multiple cancers for 45 years.

He was born in Yonkers, New York on December 27, 1935, the youngest of three sons of Philip and Minna Rotner. Howard attended Yonkers public schools and Amherst College. He graduated from Harvard Medical School and conducted his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of North Carolina and Mary Hitchcock at Dartmouth. Howard fulfilled his endocrinology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

After two years in the army at Fort Benning, Georgia, Howard joined the North Shore Medical Group in Lynn, where he spent decades on patient care. Howard subsequently became the medical director of Atlanticare in Lynn, while still practicing medicine. He ultimately ended his career in endocrinology at the Lahey Clinic in Peabody and volunteered at the Lynn Community Health Center, where he conducted medical histories and care in multiple languages. Howard possessed an uncanny ability to diagnose baffling medical cases, a skill that many remember for its lifesaving outcomes.

Every time Howard made a career move, he weighed what would be best for his family. Howard was a devoted husband and father, usually returning from the office and hospital for dinner, only to head back to the hospital for evening rounds. He possessed a sterling work ethic while never letting work get in the way of his attentiveness towards his family. He was also civic-minded, serving on the Swampscott Board of Health and other committees. Always astute and patient, he never seemed to tire.

Intellectually brilliant, Howard early on showed a knack for numbers, instantly memorizing every phone number from his childhood home onward. He aced every standardized test. School was easy, fascinating, and fun. Later, Howard never missed a parent or grandparent weekend at family members' respective schools. His children and grandchildren always adored him, even when he raised his hand to answer questions in their classes.

Howard possessed numerous hobbies that he pursued with determination. A superb athlete since high school when he captained the basketball team, Howard competed on the ski and basketball teams in college. He relished sports, rising early to play tennis before work. In winter he skied and in summer he sailed. Howard took up golf and cycling. He rode for the Pan-Mass Challenge for years and volunteered in the medical tent for even longer.

Howard nurtured his friendships. His longest friendship dated more than 80 years with his best friend from elementary school, with whom he lived in medical school. He cherished his Amherst friends, and they remain ever-loyal buddies today. His former medical partners were not only colleagues but also close friends. He enjoyed meeting new people right up until the end. He wanted to know who and how everyone was, making them feel as if they were the only people who mattered. Meanwhile, Howard kept his medical expertise relevant up until the last week of his life, reading his favorite New England Journal of Medicine. He participated as an active member of his medical care team.

Impressed by how complicated his own case was, he never hesitated to engage with his physicians, who valued his analysis.

When his wife, Sandy, suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage, Howard took loving care of her for four years before she succumbed. Despite a number of challenging years with his own health, he remained resilient, funny, and determined to live a happy, full life, setting an example for all. His family and friends miss him immensely.

A celebration of life will take place at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Pan-Mass Challenge, which supports the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The family would be honored if you would make a donation and designate Philip Rotner, Ben Rotner, and Chip Davis, who will ride in Howard's memory.