Dr. Alan A. Schwartz, age 87, passed away in his sleep in his home in Cockeysville, MD, on January 25, 2024.
Alan was born to Dr. Paul Schwartz and Ida Baskin Schwartz on May 17, 1936, in Poughkeepsie, NY. He enjoyed football, tennis, debate, social dancing, and model building. He was a skilled painter, winning a Carnegie Institute prize at 14. He graduated from Poughkeepsie High School in 1953.
He attended Amherst and NYU for his undergraduate studies, majoring in physical chemistry with a minor in history. He attended Yale, UCSD, and University of Louisville for his graduate and post-doctoral work.
While living in Winnetka, IL, he worked at G. D. Searle & Company, engaging in pioneering interferon research. He subsequently worked at Miles Laboratories in Elkhart, IN, traveling frequently to Europe and Japan for business. He moved to Baltimore, MD, working at Becton Dickinson from 1983 to 1997, primarily as a VP of Research & Development.
Alan was a fencer, an audiophile who built and sold speakers, a Nationals-level sailboat racer, a woodworker, a photographer, and he loved dogs. He drove race cars, notably a Jaguar XK120 and an Allard J2X at Watkins Glen in the 1950s. He was an actor, set designer, builder, painter, lighting designer, stage manager, and theatre enthusiast. He was an international expert on model slot car racing and building, distinguished for his early adoption of the hobby in the US.
He is survived by his son, Steven Schwartz, his daughter, Marcia Schwartz, and his former wife, Virginia Crews. He is predeceased by his brother, Mark Schwartz, and his former wife, Dr. Anne Keller Schwartz.
According to Alan’s wishes, there will be no memorial; instead, kindly donate to your local animal shelter or BARCs at www.barcs.org
