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NILES -- William Geller Katz, M.D., 87, died Dec. 17, 2022, at his residence.
Dr. Katz was born in Northside Hospital, June 28, 1935, the son of Abraham and Julia Sacher Katz
He is survived by his wife, Susan Stanton Katz, of Hubbard Township, whom he married in 1977; two daughters, Curren Elizabeth Katz, Ph.D., of Titusville, N.J., and Julia White of Philadelphia, Pa.; two sons, Andrew Stanton Geller Katz of Austintown and Stephen Katz of Philadelphia, Pa.; nephews, Nicholas, Jeffrey and Daniel Katz; and nieces, Kathy Katz and Karen Buntman Simpson.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Bertram Katz, M.D., who was married to Eleanor Hume Katz, who passed away in January 2023, and Bertram's son, Jon Katz; the eldest sibling, Katherine Katz Scheinberg; and a sister, Edna Katz Buntman, who was married to Samuel Buntman.
Dr. Katz went through his early schooling on the North Side of Youngstown, where he grew up. He was class treasurer and graduated from The Rayen School in 1953.
Dr. Katz attended Harvard University, where he graduated in 1957 with two majors, one in organic chemistry and the other in fine arts.
He attended medical school at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where he lived on The Lawn, which was a great honor. He spent his last year under a grant from the National Institute of Health studying at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. He returned to the United States in the Vietnam War era, performed his residency at Detroit Receiving Hospital during the 1967 riots, and, knowing he would be drafted, became a physician for Chrysler Motors Corporation headquartered in Michigan, as well as a position at Beaumont Hospital in Dearborn.
Dr. Katz was inducted into the U.S. Army and stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, where he was chief of surgery, tending to many war casualties. He also was a member of the Army pistol team, traveling and competing often.
Upon discharge, Dr. Katz returned to Youngstown and joined his older brother, Bertram Katz, M.D., also a surgeon, in his practice.
Dr. William Katz was director of surgical residency recruitment and training at Northside Hospital. Based on his background, he was awarded a fellowship in the late 1970s to train with Dr. Michael DeBakey of Houston, who developed many cardiovascular surgical procedures.
He returned to Youngstown with one of Dr. DeBakey's associates and began practicing thoracic and vascular surgery at Northside Hospital.
Finding it difficult to practice heart surgery in a community hospital, Dr. Katz restricted his practice to vascular surgery, for which he also was board certified. He opened the Circulatory Centers with locations across Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
As a result of an automobile accident that required neck surgery, preventing him from standing during lengthy surgical procedures, Dr. Katz retired in 1999.
He was a voracious reader and took great joy in mastering subjects before moving on to new fields. His sculptures were sold at the Butler Institute of American Art, where he served on the board for many years, won an amateur competition at the Newport, Rhode Island, museum and were featured on the cover of The Chronicle of the Horse.
William was a loving husband to his wife and children, as well as Susan's parents, Alfred and Dorothy Stanton. He will be dearly missed.
(special notice)