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Dr. Morton Mower dies

Medical innovator and philanthropist Dr. Morton Mower died on April 25, 2022. He was 89. A service was held on April 27 at BMH-BJ, with interment at Mt. Nebo Cemetery, officiated by Rabbi Yaakov Chaitovsky and Cantor Martin Goldstein, and Rabbi Yerachmiel Shapiro of Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Congregation in Baltimore, Md. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.

Dr. Morton Mower

Dr. Mower was a renowned cardiologist and expert in the field of electrophysiology. He invented the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, as well as cardiac resynchronization therapy for congestive heart failure. He was a 2002 inductee in the National Inventors Hall of Fame and received the Space Technology Hall of Fame Recognition Award.

Among Dr. Mower’s other honors, he received the Michel Mirowski Award of Excellence in the Field of Clinical Cardiology and Electrophysiology, the Medical Alley Award for Outstanding Contribution in Research and Development, the President’s Award of Heart Rhythm Society, and the University of Maryland School of Medicine Alumni Assn. Honor Award.

Dr. Mower’s academic roles included professor of medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, professor of physiology and biophysics at Howard University College of Medicine, and Distinguished Professor of Medicine CU Denver.

As prolific as Dr. Mower was in his medical career, he was equally notable in his philanthropic endeavors. Dr. Mower and his wife Dr. Tobia Mower were significant donors to the Jewish National Fund, where Morton was a member of the JNF’s World Chairman’s Council. The Mowers supported JNF’s Jerusalem affiliate, Nefesh B’Nefesh, where the Toby and Mort Mower Pavilion was created.

“Dr. Mower was one half of a philanthropic powerhouse couple,” said JNF CEO Russell Robinson.

“Together with Toby, they made numerous commitments that touched the lives of so many.

“I will never forget how Dr. Mower would look out over the hills of the Galilee from the Mower Observatory all the way toward the Negev Desert and watch his vision for Israel come alive.

“The life of every single Israeli has been made richer because of them. When I think of our people’s great Zionist leaders, in the same breath as I say Herzl, Ben Gurion and Meir, I will also say Dr. Mort Mower.”

Dr. Mower was born on January 31, 1933 in Baltimore. He graduated from the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins University in 1955, and the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1959.

From 1963-65, Dr. Mower was a captain and chief of medicine in the US Army in Bremerhaven, Germany.

Dr. Mower’s interest in medicine came at the age of 15, while observing house calls to treat Mower’s uncle.

“Mower was inspired by the outstanding quality of patient care the family physician provided,” said Dr. Mower’s family. “As a result, Mower applied to Johns Hopkins University to pursue medical studies.”

The Mowers couple moved from Baltimore to Denver in 2011. As family-described “snow birds,” Morton and Toby owned a condo in Breckenridge and then Beaver Creek for the past 35 years. The Mowers were married for 57 years before Dr. Mower’s passing.

“Mort was a true patriarch of the family and a pillar of the community,” his family said. “He was valued by so many in the community for his generosity and his kind spirit.

“He was a gentleman who valued education, honor and philanthropy.”

Dr. Mower is survived by his wife Toby; children Dr. Robin Mower and Mark (Kathleen) Mower; and three grandchildren.

Contributions may be made to the Jewish National Fund.

Copyright © 2022 by the Intermountain Jewish News



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IJN Staff Writer | [email protected]


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