Dr. Mervyn Katz

July 27, 1932 - March 9, 2023 Santa Clarita —

Dr. Mervyn Katz “Merv” passed away in Santa Clarita on Thursday, March 9th. Merv was born and raised in the Bronx, New York, the youngest child to Max and Pauline Katz, and baby brother to Ruth, Sylvia and Lillian. At the age of five, Merv, so impressed with a relative who was in medical school, decided he too wanted to become a doctor.

Merv attended college at CCNY with a double major in biology and chemistry. He graduated in 1954 Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude. During these years he worked for the U.S. Postal service in Manhattan. In 1954 Merv began medical school at SUNY Downstate Medical School. In the summer of 1957, he was awarded a fellowship at the Veterans Administration Hospital at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn working for the Polio Foundation in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

While in medical school, Merv married Elinor Chick. Merv began his internship at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. He joined the U.S. Air Force from 1959-1961. He was stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where his first two sons were born: Russell Wayne Katz on December 2, 1959 and Daryl Evan Katz on July 30th, 1961.

In the fall of 1961, Merv began his pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital in Denver Colorado. In 1962, Merv and his growing family moved back to New York, and he continued his residency at Long Island Jewish Hospital in New Hyde Park New York. He became the Chief of Pediatric Residents in 1963 and 1964 at Beth Israel Hospital in Newark, New Jersey and was boarded in Pediatrics in 1966. On June 30th, 1963 Merv’s third son, Andrew Lyle Katz was born. Four years later, on June 27th, 1967, Merv’s daughter, Jodi Lynn Katz, was born.

From 1964-1968, Merv worked for Medical Associates in Dover, New Jersey. In 1968 he opened his solo pediatric practice in Parsippany, New Jersey. He and Elinor divorced in 1971. In 1982, tired of the long cold New Jersey winters, Merv sold his practice and moved West. He was hired by Granada Medical Group in Granada Hills and was a partner with the group for many years.

In July of 1989, Merv met Linda Louise Lowe and they were married in Santa Fe, New Mexico on August 28th, 1992 in the garden of a rabbi’s home. Later that year they moved into their newly built home in Santa Clarita.

In 1999, Merv, together with two partners, founded All Valley Pediatrics in Mission Hills. In March of 2011, he retired from the partnership and went to work for the Antelope Valley Community Clinic in Palmdale.

Merv was a fellow with the American Academy of Pediatrics and is a member of the California Medical Association, the Los Angeles Pediatric Society, was on staff at Holy Cross Hospital for 25 years and for many years was an Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at U.C.L.A.

In addition to being the world’s best hugger, the undisputed king of dad jokes, puns, and awesome one liners, Dr. Katz was also a sports enthusiast. Merv was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Jodi Lynn Katz. Merv is survived by his wife, Linda Lowe, his three sons, Russell Katz, Dr. Daryl Katz, and Dr. Andrew Katz, as well as his three stepchildren, Kale, Tracey, and Scott Ruby, and his 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He is loved. He will be missed.

Service to be held at Groman Eden Memorial Park, Friday April 14th, at 11:00 am.

11500 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills, CA 91345. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Doctors Without Borders in memory of Merv.