Irving Myron Blatt

Irving Myron Blatt MD on Saturday, May 25th, 2019, left us to be with our Lord. He fought the good fight for two years following heart complications in May 2017. Energy and vitality, intellect and memory, coupled with an unending search for knowledge hallmarked his 94 year lifetime. Born to Morris and Fanny Blatt in New York, New York on May 31, 1925, he spent his childhood years on a dairy farm in upstate New York until at age 18 he heeded the call of military duty, enlisted and served as a Medical Corpsman in WWII in the Japan conflict. When the war ended he attended Cornell University and Medical College and graduated from Weill Cornell Medical School in 1952, with a Doctor of Medicine Degree. In 1953 he completed his residency at Kings County Hospital Center Internship Residency Hospital.

Dr. Julius Lempert, uncle by marriage and surgeon mentor in ENT meant training as an Ear, Nose, and Throat surgeon at the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies where he received a Master of Science Degree in Otolaryngology in 1956, University of Michigan Hospitals. He was a founding member in 1965, School of Medicine, Shreveport, and in 1970, a director at the Julius Lempert Memorial Otology Clinic in Louisiana. A Master of Health Administration Degree was received in 1996 from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans.

In 1960 he received an invitation from LSU to become a member of the Faculty of Otolaryngology at Charity Hospital, as a Professor and later Department Head/ chairman from 1965 to 1970. During this period he was involved with the establishment of a Kresge Hearing Research Laboratory, and critical Bell’s Palsy Research. The ensuing 52 years brought his talents and healing abilities to thousands in Southeast Louisiana. He displayed a ceaseless energy and tireless devotion to patients and the practice of Medicine. As a fierce supporter of graduate medical education, he was a determined advocate of legislative health care delivery and policy.

Ever the consummate physician, surgeon, and minister of the Healing Arts, he was also a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. ‘Papa Irv’ was preceded in death by Myra Karen Lewis Blatt and daughter Betsy Ann Blatt Craighead. Irving taught Bible Studies at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Morgan City and St. John’s Episcopal Church, Thibodaux, where he and Elizabeth were long standing church members. The Louisiana State Medical Society, acknowledged his dedication and commitment to his profession in 2019 with the Dave Tarver Award for a lifetime of distinguished and meritorious service.

Elizabeth Blatt, his loving wife of 36 years, his children, Dr. Stephen Blatt and Michelle, Betsy Blatt Craighead (deceased), Barbara Blatt, Georgia Landry and Ricky, Ashley Galloway III and Elizabeth, surrogate father to Dr. Luca Cerri and Alyona, Leonard Hingle, and Michael Abide, his grandchildren, Michael Blatt and Sarah, Richard Blatt and Anastasia, Adam Blatt and Vivian, Richie Craighead and Lisa, Mandy Craighead, Myles Blatt, Elizabeth-Ashley Warren and Graham, Ashley Ryan, Adam Delcambre, Christopher Galloway, and his great-grandchildren, Milana, Maksim, Aleksandr, Grace, Audrie, Carter, Jimmy, Anaelle, and Joseph will miss his loving presence and his moments in history story-telling.

Until we meet again Papa Irv, with love

Memorial Celebration at Trinity Episcopal Church, Morgan City, Louisiana on Saturday, June 22, 2019.

In lieu of flowers a donation in his honor can be made to Trinity Episcopal Church Morgan City.

· VFW Memorial Tribute and Taps 930AM

· Visitation 945 to 1100AM

· Church Service 1100AM