Dr. David S. Moses of Roslindale passed away on June 22, 2009. He was 91 years old.
Dr. Moses was the dear and devoted husband of the late Julia M. (Haddad). Loving father of Philip G. Moses of Rockland, Dr. Robert D. Moses of Brookline, Richard A. Moses of Bedford, New Hampshire, and the late Janet M. Zessis. Cherished grandfather “Gidoo” of Thomas, Kristin and Julie Moses and Joanne, David and Kenneth Zessis. Dear brother of Genevieve Ramsey of Milton and the late James and George Moses. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.
Dr. Moses was born in Winchester, Massachusetts and moved as an infant with his parents Solomon and Nellie (Salem) Moses to Shawmut Avenue in Boston's South End. While helping with his parents' business, the Franklin Cafe on Shawmut Avenue, he graduated Boston Latin School, Boston University, and Middlesex Medical School. After completing his medical internship at St. John's (now All Saints) Hospital in Lowell, Massachusetts, he served in WWII as a physician in an Evacuation Hospital in France, Germany and Czechoslovakia in General George Patton's Third Army. One of his happy "war" stories was the day he got to meet and shake hands with the great General on an inspection tour. He smiled every time he recounted that story.
In 1952, he married Julia M. Haddad of Milton, Massachusetts and moved to Roslindale, where he raised his family and lived for the rest of his life. He was a beloved husband, father, son, brother, brother-in-law, doctor and friend to countless people over his long and fruitful life. He was a lifelong and faithful parishioner of Our Lady of the Annunciation Cathedral, where he served as an usher for decades until illness prevented him from continuing on in that role. People whose paths he crossed were uniformly touched by his kindness, gentleness, compassion, love, humility, cheerfulness and wisdom.
In his professional life, Dr. Moses initially pursued a private medical practice in the South End but soon thereafter specialized in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, where he had a distinguished career in the VA and Lemuel Shattuck Hospitals as well as several private hospitals in the Boston area before retiring in the early 1980s. He joined the United States Army Reserves Medical Corps after WWII and served in the Reserves until his retirement in 1979 at the rank of full Colonel. He remained a lifelong member of the Reserve Officers Association and the American Legion. From 1971 to 1979, he was Commander of the 399th Combat Support Hospital of Taunton, Massachusetts, during which time his unit received the national Outstanding Large Unit Award of the Army Reserves in 1977, and he personally received the nation's sixth highest military award, the Legion of Merit, "awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievement."
In his latter years, he demonstrated extraordinary courage and vitality in the face of significant medical challenges and continued to touch those around him with love, kindness and cheerfulness to the very end.
Dr. Moses' Funeral Service was held Thursday, June 25 at Our Lady of the Annunciation Melkite Cathedral, 7 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dr. Moses' memory may be made to the Cathedral.
Dr. Moses was buried with Full Military Honors at Mt. Benedict Cemetery, West Roxbury.