Fredric L. Edelman ’54

Fred died Jan. 6, 2024.

He prepared at James Madison High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., and was active in tennis, publications, and band. At Princeton, he majored in chemistry, joined Campus Club, rowed with the varsity crew for four years, and was a member of the Pre-Med Society and the Chemistry Club.

Fred earned a medical degree from the College of Physicians & Surgeons at Columbia in 1958 and completed residency in neurosurgery in 1965. He then served for two years as a neurosurgeon with the Navy.

A clinical professor of neurosurgery at UCLA, he left an indelible mark during his distinguished career as a neurosurgeon and educator. He initiated its peripheral nerve program and contributed significantly to advancement of this subspecialty within neurosurgery. He retired from clinical practice in October 2023.

In his college days, Fred spent summers adventuring on freighters plying the waters from Nova Scotia to Argentina. In 1959, he married Emily Shappell. Together they enjoyed dancing, learning, exploring, and with their children, sailboat racing.

Fred is survived by Emily; their three children, Michael, Jonathan, and Jill ’88; and grandchildren Roan, Clea, Logan, Daniel, Jacob, and Jonah.