Dr. Donald D. Daiter

DONALD DAITER Dr. Donald Daiter passed away March 15, 2004 in Philadelphia at the age of 81. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Irma and his children, sons, Drs. Stephen and Eric Daiter and their wives, Drs. Michelle and Lisa Daiter and daughter Karen Daiter, as well as three grandchildren. He was was clinical director of Philadelphia State Psychiatric Hospital( aka Byberry) from 1980 to 1988. For 40 years until his retirement he also maintained a private practice evenings and weekends in North East Philadelphia. He helped the mentally ill make the transition into the community. In a pilot program in the 1970s, he developed a transitional unit that placed patients in supervised homes in communities. He was interested in the benefits of religion and art for the mentally ill and was chairman of religious affairs at Byberry. In 1973, he gave a lecture on an art exhibit by psychiatric patients and told a reporter that, although the art might disturb some people, "it is a valuable nonverbal method of communications which helps us understand what is happening with some regressed patients." From 1980 until 1999, he taught psychiatry at Hahnemann Medical School. He earned undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Toronto. He interned at McKeesport Hospital in McKeesport, Pa., and completed residencies at Philadelphia Psychiatric Hospital, Tufts Medical School, and Philadelphia State Hospital. He met his wife, Irma Hagel Daiter, a native of Germany, at a social for foreign students. He became a U.S. citizen in 1953, and from 1955 to 1957, he was a captain in the Army Medical Corps in Germany. He was highly regarded as one of the top psychiatrists of his era and was blessed with a blazing intellect as well as a rollicking sense of the ridiculous. Also left to mourn are his sisters, twin Thelma Bronstein (Ernie) and Lorraine Daiter, both of Winnipeg and Ruth Avrin (Marc) of Vancouver. His passing leaves numerous nephews and nieces who will remember hours of listening to his hysterical tales of "life with Donald". Never to be forgotten or replaced, Don will always remain in our hearts and our lives are diminished by the loss of his warmth, caring and hours of laughter while in his company. A brilliant man - gone too soon - how we will miss you! From: Winnipeg Free Press Passages http://articles.philly.com/2004-03-25/news/25383732_1_art-exhibit-p...