Milwaukee’s longest practicing podiatrist, or chiropodist as he called himself, Dr. Elihu Horwitz died Jan. 19 at his Fox Point home. He was 88.
The Milwaukee native graduated from Washington High School and the old Milwaukee State Teachers College, now the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Concerned about his mother’s foot pain, he then attended the Illinois College of Chiropody in Chicago, a college founded by Dr. William Scholl in 1912. After graduating in 1934, he returned to Milwaukee, where he practiced for 55 years with offices downtown.
According to his family, he loved working with people. He used to make house calls at hospitals and nursing homes, taking care of people’s feet. After the profession changed its name to podiatry in the 1950s, he continued to refer to himself as a chiropodist, leaving the more complicated procedures to orthopedic surgeons.
He married his high school sweetheart, Esther Horwitz (nee Guten), in 1935; they were married for 58 years when she died in 1992. After their children were grown, she worked for him in his office.
His family recalled that he often said he did not have “one regret” in life, because he lived it well. He said, “You don’t have to cry at my funeral. Just celebrate my life.”
His daughter, Donna (Harvey) Wichman of Bayside, said, “He captured people’s hearts and minds as he told childhood stories. He was always interested in how a person was doing and gave the gift of love and friendship to those who knew him.”
Called “Poppi” by his grandchildren, he loved to teach them Yiddish phrases and sing songs dating back to World War I.
He was a member of Congregation Beth Israel and B’nai B’rith.
He is further survived by daughter Judy Ben Hur of Milwaukee; sister Naomi Horwitz of Milwaukee; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Rabbi Ronald Shapiro officiated at the funeral on Jan. 21. Burial was in Mound Zion Cemetery.
Memorials to Camp Heartland would be appreciated by the family.
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