Dr. Stanley Shorb Obituary, Death – Dr. Shorb was tragically killed when struck by a car in a parking lot on the afternoon of Saturday, May 7th. He was 81 years old.
He was born in Philadelphia to Irma (Folkenroth) Shorb and Stanley Leroy Shorb who preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Ilona (Barkocy) Shorb, two sisters Brenda Lenahan (Bud) of Glencoe, Ilinois, and Barbara Ziegler (Mory) of Cincinnati, Ohio, and his three children Jason Shorb, Megan Mayer-Shorb, and Karl Shorb, as well as many nieces and nephews.
His three beloved granddaughters were the light of his life. Maya Mayer and Jinsey Mayer, and Savannah Shorb (mother – Kim Bielke). The girls knew him as “PapaSan” and it was his desire to pass on his never ending curiosity for learning to each of them.
From an early age he was on a path to become a physician, prompted by his nurse mother. He attended Abington High School where he excelled academically and in sports, especially football and tennis. He attended Hamilton College where a shoulder separation cut short his football career. He was a member of Chi Psi fraternity and captain of the tennis team. In his senior year, on a blind date at Skidmore College, he became smitten and a year later married Ilona Barkocy.
While at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, he enlisted in the army at the height of the Vietnam War. He went on to take all his advanced training in the army to become a Flight Surgeon and Ophthalmologist. He served in Panama as the Flight Surgeon for the Southern Command. He was then stationed at US Army Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany, proudly serving his country as a Lieutenant Colonel.
After a retinal/vitreal fellowship at the University of San Francisco where he published several papers on macular degeneration and vitreal and retinal surgeries, he brought his young family to Phoenix where he has practiced for the past 47 years. At age 81 he was still practicing. He loved his patients and they loved him. He always had time to ask how their families were and what they were doing, what book they were reading, or where they were dining or traveling. MEDICINE – “The Old Fashioned Way”
In cooperation with Esperanza and Surgical Eye Expeditions, he and Ilona traveled to third world countries to perform cataract surgery and instruct their Ophthalmologists in new techniques. They brought tons of supplies and always felt that they made a difference. They worked in the Amazon several times, in India, China, Tibet, Bolivia and Panama. Most recently he was with Petelin Vision and served the community volunteering medical care at St Vincent de Paul and Mission of Mercy.
A former team Ophthalmologist for the Arizona Cardinals, Dr. Shorb was a life member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and an examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology. He has been a TOP DOC in Phoenix Magazine many times and was voted the Top Ophthalmologist in the 2009 Phoenix edition.
He was an avid reader, photographer, foodie and world traveler. In addition to continually planning their next trip, he recently enjoyed sharing the kitchen with Ilona.
“He was a true gentleman, honest, and the smartest man I ever knew”…. He will be sorely missed by so many.
In lieu of flowers please make a contribution to the Foundation for Blind Children. A memorial service for Dr. Shorb will be held on Sunday, May 22nd at 3 o’clock in the afternoon at Paradise Valley Country Club followed by a Celebration of Life.
