Dr. Murray Samuel Flaster

Dr. Murray Samuel Flaster (Big Mur) died on Sunday, May 17, 2020 (Hebrew date: 23 Iyar 5780) at his family home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He succumbed to cancer at 68 after several months of fighting alongside his wife and family. Dr. Flaster was born in Bronx, NY and raised by his immigrant parents Jean and Charlie Flaster. He grew up in a traditional Jewish home with his sister Eva and cousin Sam. He attended Bronx School of Science where he excelled academically and fell in love with the hard sciences. Dr. Flaster went on to pursue his undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Biology at the City College of New York. He then earned a PH.D. in Biochemistry at the Columbia University in the City of New York. There he met Linda Barmat, the love of his life. They married and began their family on 113th St. in Morningside Heights. Two children later, Linda and Murray moved to Hollywood, FL, where he embarked upon an accelerated MD program at the University of Miami. He continued onwards to a residency program in Neurology and had three more children in Florida. Linda, Murray and their five children relocated to Phoenix, AZ. where he became the Director of the Acute Stroke Service at the Barrow Neurological Institute. He had several subsequent professorships at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, Loyola University in Chicago and finished his career at Lancaster General Hospital proudly establishing a new regional stroke service. Dr. Flaster enjoyed reading non-fiction, teaching and spending time with his six children and eight grandbabies. He loved going for long walks with his wife, flying Piper Cherokee airplanes and singing folk songs. Murray always had time to answer questions big or small from fellow physicians, patients and his family. He will be remembered as a devoted father, loving husband and passionate doctor who cared endlessly for his patients. He is survived by his wife Linda, children Harry, Josh, Jake, Charlie, Mike and Suzy and his grandchildren, Miya, Itamar, Kerem, Anaelle, Oze, Lielle, Rafael and Yonatan. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony on May 18th. The family will be sitting Shiva in Israel. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Lancaster County Food Hub, 812 N. Queen Street, Lancaster, PA 17603.