Obituary

Dr. Steven James Jubelirer, 76, of Charleston, passed away August 1, 2024.

Dr. Steven James Jubelirer was born December 5, 1947 in Cincinnati, Ohio as the first child of parents Dr. Richard and Jean Jubelirer. Two years later, his sister, Susan Jubelirer Nesi, was born, and they shared a close bond for more than 50 years, until her death in 2002.

An avid student and reader from childhood, he excelled in school, and was actively involved in athletics, as a tennis player, and music, playing piano and violin. Throughout his life, he maintained a voracious curiosity for a wide variety of subjects, including medicine, science, history, travel, and religion, and amassed a large collection of books. After graduating from Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills High School, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Zoology in 1970 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Following in the footsteps of his physician father, he went on to medical school at the University of Cincinnati, and completed a fellowship in internal medicine at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Deciding to specialize in hematology and oncology, he was accepted into a fellowship at Boston University and Boston City Hospital, and went on to do a research fellowship at the Boston VA Hospital.

Upon completing his training, he wanted to practice medicine and continue his affiliation with a medical school and university.

He was persuaded to come to Charleston because he would have the opportunity to practice in a clinical setting, while also conducting research and teaching at the Charleston branch of West Virginia University medical school, which at the time was affiliated with CAMC. Dr. Warren Point, who would become a mentor and colleague, convinced him through warmth and hospitality that Charleston would be a good place, both personally and professionally. He quickly grew to love the Kanawha Valley, but more importantly, soon after his arrival in town in 1980, he met his future wife, Sharon. They married in 1986. He referred to this as “the best thing to happen to me!”

Over more than four decades of practicing medicine in Charleston, he was beloved by patients and respected by colleagues locally and nationally. From 1985 to 1997 he served as Medical Director of the CAMC Cancer Center, now the David Lee Cancer Center.

In addition to a demanding schedule of treating patients, he also taught medical students and conducted research. He published more than 100 scientific papers/abstracts, as well as two books and four book chapters. He was internationally known for his studies on platelets (cells needed for blood clotting) in chronic leukemia, kidney disease, and open-heart surgery, among other topics. Former students valued his comprehensive medical knowledge and his passion for teaching. During weekly student conferences, he was able to step in as a guest lecturer at a moment’s notice.

He maintained an active life outside of work, which included playing tennis, piano, and violin, participating in art classes, and volunteering with multiple community organizations, including the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the West Virginia Humanities Foundation, and the Kanawha Valley Historical Society.

He was an active member of the Anvil Club, through which members presented about topics outside their professional lives. This involved extensive research and writing.

He was also an active member of both Temple Israel and B’nai Jacob Synagogue, and served as a board member for each congregation. He also participated in the Charleston branch of Federated Jewish Charities, and was actively involved in several projects supported by Federated, including acting as coordinator of the Charleston Jewish Cultural Series, and was instrumental in creating a Holocaust Education Program for public schools.

In 1969, while still a college student, he and his close friend Rick Herman spent two months traveling in Europe. This was the start of many travels for Steve. Over the next five decades, he traveled extensively, visiting all 50 states, most of the Canadian provinces, and every continent except Antarctica. Highlights of his travels included the Gobi desert in Mongolia, the Himalayas in Nepal, Zimbabwe and Kenya in Africa, and the North Pole by Russian icebreaker.

He was generously committed to supporting the causes that were important to him, including the David Lee Cancer Center and the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Colleagues and friends enjoyed conversing with Steve on a wide range of topics, and he relished sharing jokes and witticisms. He was a proud stepfather of Carol (Josh) Smith and Susan (Jonathan) Jablow, and grandfather of Aaron and Abigail Smith, and Esther Toby and Jeremy Jablow, all of Pittsburgh, PA.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Ahmed Khalid, Donna Tittle, and other medical staff of the David Lee Cancer Center for their exceptional care. Many thanks also to the wonderful medical staff of HospiceCare at CAMC Memorial, and the caring staff of Brookdale Charleston Gardens, especially Lisa Pauley.

Funeral Service will be held 1pm Friday, August 2, 2024 at Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, 1118 Virginia Street, East, Charleston, WV 25301 with Rabbi Victor Urecki officiating.  Burial will follow at B’nai Jacob Eternal Home, South Charleston.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Steve’s memory may be made to the: Charleston Area Medical Center – David Lee Cancer Center, 3415 MacCorkle Avenue,  SE, Charleston, WV 25304.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.barlowbonsall.com .

Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, Charleston, has been entrusted with the arrangements.