Henry Litvin, family doctor, psychiatrist, and decorated veteran and advocate, has died at 99

Henry Litvin, 99, of Jenkintown, former family doctor in Levittown, psychiatrist emeritus at Jefferson Abington Hospital, and decorated veteran and advocate, died Monday, Feb. 20, of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at his home.

Intellectual, studious, and personable, Dr. Litivn was forever changed by six months of combat duty he served as an infantry battalion medical officer for the Marines during the Korean War. He was present at the 1950 battles of Incheon in September and Chosin Reservoir in December, and was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal for his actions in combat.

He also returned to the United States in March 1951 with hearing loss, injuries due to frostbite and other circumstances, and the damaging emotional effects of seeing death and destruction all around him. He talked often for the rest of his life about his lack of combat training, frustration and anger over the horrendous working conditions, the loss of life, and other issues associated with the war.

“It defined his life,” his wife Joanie said of his service.

Dr. Litvin turned those anxieties into action after he retired from Abington in 2001. He voluntarily counseled veterans and active service members and their families by sharing his military experiences and the ways he had learned to cope and thrive.

He worked with every branch of the service and was recognized by the Special Forces Charitable Trust for his “ongoing patriotism and commitment to the United States military members and their families.” A colleague said Dr. Litvin helped people “navigate the traumatic stress of invisible wounds. He underlined that while all wars are different, all wars are the same.”

His wife said: “He wanted veterans to know they could have a normal life.”

In Levittown, Dr. Litvin was part of a general practice from 1953 to 1965 and attended to many of the babies born in that sprawling new residential development. He earned certification in psychiatry and served a residency at the Philadelphia Psychiatric Institute, and joined the staff at Abington Memorial Hospital, now Jefferson Abington Hospital, in 1969.

Eventually, he took charge of the hospital’s senior care center and worked with the elderly until he retired and turned his attention to active soldiers and veterans. “It was always his way to reach out to people,” his wife said.

Henry Litvin was born March 20, 1923, in Philadelphia. He grew up in the Wynnefield neighborhood and graduated from Overbrook High School.

He earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania in 1943 and graduated from Penn’s medical school, now the Perelman School of Medicine, in 1948.

He joined the Navy Reserve during his internship at Philadelphia General Hospital and was activated for duty in 1950. He finished his two-year hitch at St. Albans Naval Hospital, now St. Albans VA Medical Center, in New York after he returned from Korea.

He met Joanie Meiman on a house call to her sister, and they married in 1953. “It was love at first sight,” she said. They had daughter Lisa and son Joel, and lived in Levittown and Jenkintown.

Dr. Litvin was interested in nutrition and poetry, and was a member of the American Meteorological Society. He was adept at technology, read thrillers and history books, and collected stamps and coins.

He followed the Eagles and told his wife that he wanted to live to 100. “He loved to learn,” his wife said. “He was well-rounded and interested in everything. He wanted to always make a contribution and be relevant, and he was.”

In addition to his wife and children, Dr. Litvin is survived by four grandchildren and other relatives. A sister died earlier.

A celebration of his life was held Feb. 21.

Donations in his name may be made to Chosen Few at chosenfew.org. Call 843-379-1011 for more information.

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