Dr. Byron Amdur Eliashof's Obituary
Dr. Byron Amdur Eliashof passed away peacefully at his home in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 7th, 2024 at the age of 89 from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was surrounded by his loving family, friends, caretakers and his dog, Ivy. Byron was born in 1935 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Taylor-Allderdice High School. He was the only child of Leon H. Eliashof and Eleanor Amdur Eliashof.
Byron graduated from Yale University in 1956, where he earned an A.B. in history. He graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York in 1961, where he met his wife, Pamela. He completed his residency in psychiatry at Massachusetts Mental Health Center and was a fellow in child psychiatry at the Beth Israel Hospital, both of Harvard University in Boston.
He joined the U.S. Army Medical Corp as a captain in 1965 and was stationed at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, where he specialized in both adult and child psychiatry. After completing his service, he and Pamela loved the people and climate of Hawaii so much they decided to make Honolulu their home. Byron practiced psychiatry from 1967 to 2012 and was a clinical professor of psychiatry at the John A. Burns School of Medicine and a lecturer at the School of Social Work at the University of Hawaii. He was President of the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association from 1969 – 1971 and later became a Fellow of the American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians and the American Psychiatric Association.
Byron was a loving husband, father, and friend. He had an adventurous spirit and loved the outdoors. In his younger years he enjoyed hiking, surfing, hobie-cat sailing, and playing tennis. He was a history buff, a world traveler, foodie, wine connoisseur, and avid reader. Later in life, he enjoyed golf, movies, audio books, and spending time with friends and family. He was always interested in people and loved hearing their stories. He enjoyed music and the performing arts, attending every opera in which Pamela sang in the chorus, for almost 30 years. He was a member of the Honolulu Rotary Club as well as Temple Emanu-El and the Oahu Jewish Ohana.
Known for his warmth, curiosity and intellect, he is survived by his devoted wife of 63 years Pamela and his two sons, Mark Eliashof (Tania de Jesus) and Bruce Eliashof (Cathy Campbell) as well as by his granddaughter Maisie Eliashof. The family wishes to express their extreme gratitude to his caregivers and friends for their kindness, dedication, and loving care.
His ashes will be placed at the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Donations in his memory may be made to the John A. Burns School of Medicine or the Hawaiian Humane Society.
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