Dr. Richard Loeb Kalla

Dr. Richard Loeb Kalla

KALLA: Dr. Richard Loeb Kalla was born on April 4, 1929, to Sarah (Kallus) and Adolf Kalla in Bethel, Pennsylvania. He left this world May 28, 2023, in his home in Pittsburgh, surrounded by his family. He is predeceased by his siblings Milton Kalla, Joseph Kalla, Irene Goldberg, Esther Schectar, Erwin Kalla and Stanford Kalla. He married Alice (Snook) on July, 17, 1952, to whom he was devoted for the rest of his life. She survives him. They had four boys in five years. His youngest son, Brian (Suzanne), predeceased him. He is survived by his sons David (Eileen), Mark (Kimberly), Robert (Lesa) and daughter-in-law Suzanne. He is also survived by grandchildren Erin Kalla, Molly (Chris) Zielinski, Ryan (Siyu) Kalla, Clarkson Kalla, Anna Kalla, Brandon Kalla, Joseph Kalla, James Kalla and great-grandson Oliver Zielinski. He is also survived by his devoted dachshund, Winnie. Richard graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School and he was awarded bachelor’s, master’s and medical degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. After finishing medical school in 1960, he completed an internship at Montefiore Hospital in Pittsburgh. He then went into practice as an internist. He was an early practitioner of nuclear medicine, becoming board-certified through self-study. He was the head of Nuclear Medicine at Montefiore Hospital for many years as well as serving as a site inspector for the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories (ICANL). He was still reviewing applications for ICANL in his 90s. He was an attending physician as various times at Montefiore, Allegheny General and Western Pennsylvania Hospitals. He enjoyed teaching and was considered an excellent, if intimidating, teacher and mentor. He served as president of the medical staff at Montefiore in the 1970s and as an administrator at Allegheny General. He was also a medical entrepreneur who owned a free-standing nuclear medicine facility. Richard served in the United States Army from 1954-1956 in a scientific research unit before starting medical school. He and Alice are both classical music lovers and musicians. Richard was playing the violin until his last days. Their home was often filled with other musicians and music, particularly with members of the Tuesday Musical Club. They also regularly attended the Summertrios chamber music camp. He served as president of the Tuesday Musical Club and Treasurer of Summertrios. Richard also enjoyed antique cars, restoring many vehicles over the years. He was a jack-of-all-trades who could do (or figure out) just about anything that involved tools. Richard was a lifelong progressive Democrat and paid attention to politics to the end. He was an early and lifelong proponent of universal health care. He had a strong sense of right and wrong that he passed to his children. He was devoted to his family, his community and his patients. He strongly felt his Jewish heritage. Services and interment private. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Tuesday Musical Club, P.O. Box 71332 Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com PJC

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