Sirgay Sanger

Dr. Sirgay Sanger died on April 10, 2025 after a well fought battle with acute myeloblastic leukemia, under the superb care of Dr Michael Samuel. He is survived by his beloved wife of 33 years, Judy, and by his children Terence and Victoria from a former marriage, his step-daughter Katie, and grandchildren James, Joseph, Thomas, Louis, and Theo. He was 89 years old, living in the New York City he loved so much, taking care of patients until the end.

Sirgay grew up in Brooklyn as part of a large family that became incorporated as the Independent Family Society. He studied at Horace Mann School, Harvard University, and Harvard Medical School, followed by internship at Mt. Sinai Hospital and residency training in child and adult Psychiatry at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, McLean Hospital, and the Massachusetts Mental Health Institute, with psychoanalytic training at Columbia University. He is beloved by the many child and adult patients he adored working with throughout his long career. A masterful clinician, educator, and researcher, he is the author of four books on parent-child interaction, and he pioneered the use of simultaneous video recordings of mothers and infants to identify the earliest possible opportunities to improve children’s emotional lives.

He volunteered for many years as the president of the National Council on Compulsive Gambling, arguing for rehabilitation rather than punishment for those trapped by gambling addiction. His many interests include architectural history and preservation, and he served as president of the Venice Committee of World Monuments, helping to preserve several irreplaceable historic sites. His love of travel started in childhood and continued through his life with Judy, including a love of living in Paris, Southern France, London, and Venice. An avid ballroom dancer, he was a long-time member of the Waltz Evening Society of Boston. Although trained in classical piano, he chose a career in Medicine and remained an ardent connoisseur of music, opera, and theatre. Beloved by friends, family, patients, and colleagues, he touched the lives of so many. He will be sorely missed, but the blessings of his life will endure.

Funeral services will be April 22, 12:30-1:30pm at Frank Campbell’s funeral home. Services will be broadcast and recorded.