George Louis Drusano, M.D. passed away on June 10, 2025 in Orlando, Florida after contending with a long-term illness. George was born in Baltimore, Maryland on August 22, 1949 to Louis and Marcella Drusano. From that very moment, he was the enduring light in their lives.
George was a proud graduate of Loyola High School in Baltimore in 1967. It was from his instruction by Jesuit priests there during the prior four years where he developed a moral compass that always pointed towards using his talents to improve the lives of others and make the world at large a better place. With these convictions, he later graduated from Boston College in 1971, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in physics and later graduating from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1975.
He continued his training at the same institution in internal medicine, later being granted the honor of Chief Resident. He finally completed a fellowship in infectious diseases thereafter. George remained at the School of Medicine as an attending physician and researcher, quickly becoming a beloved and well-respected fixture within the Departments of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. Aside from being known as an enthusiastic lecturer and hardworking clinician, George further developed a reputation defined by dedication and bravery. During the early days of the HIV-AIDS
epidemic, when so much was unknown about the disease and the general public reacted to those suffering from it with fear and rejection, George was one of the few physicians in the Baltimore area willing to see, treat, and stay beside patients suffering from the disease, even when effective treatment was non-existent and patients were guaranteed to succumb in a slow and unfortunate fashion.
While at the School of Medicine, George became a full professor within an astonishingly short period of time due to his fervent work ethic, clinical expertise, and the high frequency of high-quality research he produced on the regular. He presented his research findings at various conferences around the world, developing the well- deserved reputation as a titan and innovator in the field of infectious disease research. Later, he brought his talents to research institutes in Albany, New York and Orlando, Florida where he continued to contribute to advancements in the field, including treatments for bioweapons, bioterrorism, tuberculosis, and HIV. In 2012, he was awarded the Maxwell Finland Award for Scientific Achievement for his outstanding contributions to the understanding of infectious diseases and public health, placing him in the same ranks as C. Everett Koop, Anthony Fauci, and Paul Offit.
On June 30, 1973, George married Marianne Barbara Cavicchi, the love of his life. He remained married to her until his last day on Earth. He is survived by his wife Marianne as well as his three sons George Junior (Chip), Michael, and Stephen, his son-in-law, Chad, and his cousins Frank Berger and Mary Phyllis LaCasse.
Known for his love of irreverent slapstick comedy, George would regularly erupt into convulsions of laughter when watching movies like Airplane!, Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, Young Frankenstein, and the Naked Gun trilogy. He also had a love for astronomy, astrophysics, animals, and the history of World War II.
Family anf friends are invited to attend George's visiting hours on Sunday, June 22nd from 2:00-5:00 PM at the Blanchard Funeral Chapel, Plymouth Street (Rte. 58 @ the rotary) Whitman. A funeral Mass will take place Monday, June 23rd at 10:30 AM at the Holy Ghost Church, Whitman.