S. Weiss, Camden County physician

Sidney R. Weiss, 94, of Voorhees, a family doctor who made house calls and took care of his patients from birth to old age, died Monday, June 29, at home of complications from kidney failure.

He began his practice in Camden in the 1950s and later worked at practices in Pennsauken and Voorhees, specializing in family medicine and geriatrics. He retired in 2001.

"He never said no to his patients. He was always accessible," said son Richard, also a physician.

Richard Weiss, who followed his father's footsteps in family medicine, joined his father's Pennsauken practice in 1983. His older brother, Roger, is a neurologist.

But to Richard Weiss' dismay, patients initially preferred to see his father.

"He was a great listener and compassionate," Richard Weiss said. "He treated everyone the same, with respect. His patients just adored him."

With a career spanning 50 years, Dr. Weiss was well known in professional circles. He was a founding member of Cherry Hill Hospital, now Kennedy Memorial Hospital, which named him Physician of the Year in 1991.

Board certified in family medicine, Dr. Weiss was an assistant professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford. He was also a fellow of the Academy of Medicine of New Jersey.

He was admired and frequently consulted by residents and medical students, said Carman Ciervo, chief physician executive for Kennedy Health, who trained under Dr. Weiss.

"He was the model of someone you would look to when you say, this is the kind of human being that we should all aspire to be," said Ciervo. "He was an outstanding educator. His personhood was genuine."

The son of Russian immigrants. Dr. Weiss grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and graduated from high school at age 16. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology and premed at City College of New York.

After obtaining a certificate in marine engineering at Catholic University of America in Washington, Dr. Weiss worked for the Navy as a marine engineer and inspector from 1941 to 1944.

Rejected by the Navy for active duty because he was color blind, he joined the Army and served as a first lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps in the South Pacific for two years.

He returned home after the war and attended Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, graduating in 1951.

After practicing in Camden for 20 years, Dr. Weiss moved his practice to Pennsauken and started the Browning Road Medical Center with a group of physicians that later included his son. He later moved to a Voorhees practice.

Richard Weiss said his father put in long hours to build up his practice, often missing dinner with his family and delaying family outings if a patient needed him.

But he said his father found time to take him to sporting events and play golf. "He was just a great man," he said.

Dr. Weiss was a member of the Woodcrest Country Club and Temple Emmanuel and Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill.

He is also survived by his wife of 72 years, Evelyn; five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; and a brother.

Relatives and friends may call Wednesday, July 1, at Platt Memorial Chapels Inc., 2001 Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill, beginning at 10:15 a.m. A funeral service will be held there at 11 a.m. Interment will be at Locustwood Memorial Park, Cherry Hill.

Donations may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 E. 33d St., New York, N.Y. 10016, or the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey, 1301 Springdale Rd., Suite 200, Cherry Hill, N.J. 08003.