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In memory of

Gerald Sander Poticha

Highland Village, TX, USA

March 30, 1938 - December 23, 2018

Mar 30, 1938 - Dec 23, 2018

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Gerald Sander Poticha, M.D. (“Gerry”), 80 , passed away peacefully on December 23, 2018 in Highland Park, Texas. He was born in Chicago to Joseph and Helen Poticha, and survived by his older brother Stuart Poticha, M.D. Gerry attended grade school and high school in Chicago where, as a member of “The Imperials,” he made many lifelong friendships including John Fernandez and Paul Krause. Gerry went to college at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor graduating in 1960. He went on to attend the Northwestern University Medical School, graduating with his M.D. in 1964. While living in Chicago after medical school Gerry met and eventually married Myrna Spilky. They came to Denver, Colorado when Gerry was drafted into the United States Army and Gerry was stationed at Fitzsimmons Army Base during the Vietnam war, where he became an endocrinologist. Together Gerry and Myrna had 3 children, David, Helene, and Adam, all of whom survive Gerry along with his two grandchildren from Adam, Parker and Kayla. Gerry later married and is survived by his wife Carol Drachler and her two daughters, Leslie Van Anne and Karyn Stegemen, as well as their children Alexa, John Luke, and Sydney. After the Army, Gerry was in private practice as an endocrinologist in Denver for over 40 years (most of which he spent partnered with his colleague Dr. Richard Carson), and was a highly respected member of the local and medical communities where he resided and practiced. Gerry also spent many years volunteering at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Department of Endocrinology. Gerry will be remembered as a caring, loving and giving man, always able to laugh at any joke, always willing to help almost anyone, the doctor who always spent 45 minutes with his patients and called them personally at night with their results. He was a beloved physician adored by his patients. In addition to being an accomplished physician, Gerry enjoyed a remarkably successful and diverse life away from medicine: He was an active and competitive tennis player and golfer (3 handicap!), a 200-per game bowler, a huge lover of sports (he was a Bears fan as well as a Broncos season ticket holder for over 40 years), a great father and stepfather (as well as grandfather and stepgrandfather), a mentor to his family and his peers, a pickler of pickles, a tractor-riding lawn cutting machine, a man who never forgot the Star Wars Cantina scene as the greatest moment in his movie going life, a punster to the end who loved to make people laugh. He will be deeply missed by all those who survive him. A memorial service for Gerry will be held at Temple Sinai at 3509 S. Glencoe St., Denver, CO 80237 at noon on Sunday, January 20th. After a short service in the chapel, there will be a reception afterwards where all attendees will be invited to share any stories they wish as we will be celebrating the remarkable life of Gerry Poticha. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please instead send donations to either St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes.

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In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to St. Jude's Children's Hospital or Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes.

Learn more & give