Dr. Gerson Nathaniel Kaplan peacefully passed away at the Gilchrist Hospice Center in Columbia, Maryland, at age 82, early in the morning of Tuesday, February 8th, 2022, surrounded in body and spirit by the many people who loved him.
Gerson entered the world in Brooklyn, New York, the child of Seymour and Rose Kaplan. He attended Brooklyn Technical High School, graduated with a degree in chemical engineering from Cooper Union, and earned his medical degree from the Georgetown University School of Medicine.
In 1959, he married Chaya Kaplan, who would be his wife for over 62 years. Their love was the foundation of the home they built together, which reflected their zest for life, and their soft but solid grasp of what is meaningful. Their unending generosity was evident in the smiles, full bellies, and big hugs of the countless people to whom they opened their doors over several decades.
Gerson was a great skier, his ping pong game was legendary, and he bragged he ran two marathons at once – his first and last. Even more so, he was a fixture at Hobbit’s Glen Club Course for many years. He was also a passionate sports fan, but he can be memorialized as a fan of only three teams: The Washington Redskins, the Washington Football Team, and the Washington Commanders. Hail to them all.
Gerson was a passionate and capable person who took action. During his 27 year medical career, he helped to spearhead adoption of the ultrasound and other radiological procedures in the Baltimore medical community. He had strong belief in libertarian ideals, including the importance of volunteerism: He was a mentor for AOK (a mentoring organization founded by his wife) and Big Brother for many years. His curiosity and devotion to family led him to research and create a detailed family tree. Growing up in the shadow of the Holocaust, his fervor was perhaps greatest in his support for the state of Israel, and the security it provides the Jewish people.
He leaves many family members who cherish his memory: His loving wife, Chaya Kaplan; his children Mara Hahn (Harry), Jana Kaplan-Fastow (Peter), and Jason Kaplan (Ellen); his eight grandchildren, Levi, Eden, Eli, Leora, Talia, Matthew, Aaron, and Jeremy; his sister Elissa Macklin (Hal); his brother-in-law Edward “Terry” Morman (Julie); his nephews Todd Morman, Robin Macklin (Staci), and Peter Macklin; his great-nieces Jesse and Sophia.