Dr. Andrew Norman Stolzar
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Andrew's obituary
Dr. Andrew Stolzar of Oviedo, Florida passed away on April 17, 2023, at the age of 71, just short of his 72nd birthday. He was originally from Long Island, New York, and went to college at SUNY Binghamton where he fell in love with his future wife Joan in a biology lab as they were dissecting a fetal pig.
After college, they got married and immediately set off on what he used to refer to as a ‘five-and-a-half-year honeymoon’ in Graz, Austria where he studied medicine. Their first apartment was a very romantic fourth floor walk-up where they had to share the bathroom with their neighbor. Ordering fried chicken was a challenge because it often came complete with chicken heads. They made the most of their time there, visiting England, France, Italy, and even the former country of Yugoslavia.
Upon receiving his medical degree, they moved back to the States where he completed his residency at UMDNJ-Rutgers Medical School in internal medicine. He opened his practice in Dover, New Jersey, and settled in Morris County, where he and his wife raised their two children, Lauren and Scott. Work was important, but family was always his top priority.
He had to give up his practice upon developing cerebellar ataxia, but that didn’t stop him from living his life to the fullest. He loved cruising, theater, and good food. He liked his steak bloody and his desserts sweeter than his diabetes would allow. He and Joan traveled around the world on many ships, from the Caribbean to Alaska to the Panama Canal to the Mediterranean to Northern Europe.
Like all good New York Jews, he and Joan moved to Florida in their later years – but they defied tradition by moving to Central Florida in order to be close to their other true love: Disney World. They could often be found there at favorite spots of his, like the Yachtsman Steakhouse and the Carousel of Progress. Shockingly, he even liked It’s A Small World and the Enchanted Tiki Room.
He adored visiting his daughter Lauren in New York City and going with her to all sorts of Broadway and off-Broadway shows. One of the highlights of his recent years was watching the wedding of his son Scott to long term partner Alli, and, later that year, finally getting to visit Australia – after being jealous of their daughter Lauren for her four trips there.
He was preceded in death by his brothers Peter and Michael. He is survived by his wife Joan, his children Lauren and Scott, daughter-in-law Alli, sisters-in-law Karen and Judith, and grand-dogs Apollo and Moose.
A celebration of his life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his honor to Temple Shir Shalom: https://templeshirshalom.org/…
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.nationalcremation.com/loc… for the Stolzar family.
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