a tailor, Sidney was the youngest of four children born to Robert and Sonia Starobin: Lithuanian
immigrants who fled anti-semitism in their home country, coming to the United States to marry
and start a family.
Sidney grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts and graduated from Worcester Honor High School
in 1953. He attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and followed an older
brother and sister into medicine: receiving his M.D. from Tuft’s Medical School in 1956 as a
member of Alpha Omega Alpha.
While a student at Tufts, Sidney was introduced to a freshman at Boston University, Evelyn
Fuchs, on a blind date. (He liked to joke that upon hearing Evelyn’s last name, he agreed to the
match without hesitation.) The two started dating and were married in New York on August 31,
1958. That began a nearly 63-year adventure that took them to New York City, where Sidney
completed his pediatric residency at Mount Sinai Hospital, and on to Texas, where he served a
two year tour of duty as an Army physician. They had four daughters along the way: Amy (b.
1960), Jean (b. 1961), Suzanne (b. 1966) and Lisa (b.1968). Returning to Massachusetts after
his military service, Sidney and his family first settled in Holliston, later moving to Sudbury,
Massachusetts. There Sidney and Evelyn were among the founding members of Congregation
B’nai Torah in 1974, with Sidney helping to lead Torah services in the congregation’s early
years.
As a new physician starting out, Sidney co-founded Holliston Pediatric Group in Holliston,
Massachusetts, with fellow physicians: Drs. Gilbert Fisch and Lloyd Tarlin. He spent the next 36
years growing his practice and caring for children and families - a job that he always spoke of as
a privilege and an honor. He and Holliston Pediatric were instrumental in clinical trials that led to
new treatments for Otitis Media - infections and inflammation of the middle ear that are common
in children. A lifelong learner and teacher, Sidney was affiliated with Boston University Medical
School. He enjoyed working with medical residents and teaching BU medical students following
his retirement. Ever the caregiver, he learned to bake just so he could bring fresh-baked coffee
cake to his students at their weekly meetings.
Sidney had many interests outside of medicine. He was an avid brewer, making his own “micro
brews” and hard root beer in the late 1970s, long before it was fashionable. He was a lover of
animals and rarely without a dog by his side. There were many over the years: Charlie, Tiny,
Monty, Bear, Kidd, and, finally, Waffle. He was a birder: observing with enthusiasm the many
visitors to feeders in the backyard of his and Evie’s summer home in Mashpee, Massachusetts.
He really loved ice cream; his grandchildren arrived in Mashpee to find a freezer stocked with
Klondike Bars and Rum Raisin - his favorite flavor. He loved slapstick comedies and laughed
hard watching Benny Hill on the couch with his daughters.
Sidney’s passion was reserved for his wife Evelyn and for his four daughters.
He was a doting husband, ever attuned to his wife’s needs. He was a loving and supportive
father. His was the sympathetic ear on the end of a thousand tearful phone calls - the calm
voice offering reassurance and sage advice. Sidney liked nothing better than to be among his
mishpachah - his large, loud, loving family. He reveled in his 12 grandchildren and his
great-granddaughter. He was watching out and caring for that family until his last moments:
acutely concerned that his affairs were in order and that his daughters and wife would be taken
care of when he was no longer there to care for them. He will be greatly missed by all.
Sidney was predeceased by his parents Robert and Sonia and an older brother, Simon. He is
survived by his wife Evelyn; his brother Oscar Starobin and sister Sara Segal; his daughters
Amy Kamisher, Jean Starobin, Suzanne Wynn, and Dr. Lisa Starobin and sons-in-law Eric
Kamisher, Kirk Hatfield, Rick Wynn, and Paul Roberts; his grandchildren Olivia and Alex
Kamisher; Sonia, Max, and Charlie Hatfield; Oliver, Julia, Haley and Charlie Wynn; Eliana,
Shira, and Ruby Roberts and by his great granddaughter, Liora Puglisi.
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