Dr. George F. Buerger Jr.

Age 84, passed peacefully surrounded by family at his home in Churchill, on Sunday, June 16, 2019. Beloved husband of over 60 years of Patricia Fike Buerger; Loving father of Dr. David Buerger (Sonya) of Pittsburgh, Dr. Daniel Buerger (Laura) of Pittsburgh, and Thomas Buerger of Washington, DC; Cherished grandfather of Jonathan, Matthew, Zachary, Emma, William, Victoria, and Rebecca.

George was raised in Uniontown, PA, through high school in 1953. He graduated in 1958 from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity, served as president his senior year, went on to become president of Pitt's Delta Tau Delta Alumni Society, and in 2018 was inducted into the University of Pittsburgh's Greek Hall of Fame. He attended medical school at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington D.C, earning his M.D. in 1962.  He started his private practice in ophthalmology, Pittsburgh Oculoplastic Associates, in 1969, which his sons David and Dan joined in 1996 and 1998, respectively. In addition to being a devoted eye surgeon to thousands of patients and a mentor to generations of Pitt ophthalmology residents, George was a leader in the Pittsburgh medical community throughout his career. He served as president of the Pittsburgh Ophthalmology Society (1987-1989), the 125th president of the Allegheny County Medical Society in 1990, and was active in the Pennsylvania Medical Society.  George was a founding member of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS), a new specialty within ophthalmology focusing on eyelid and tear duct surgery, and became its president in 1976. He was the first ophthalmologist in Pittsburgh to specialize in this field.

George had the privilege of serving as the official ophthalmologist for the Pittsburgh Penguins for 31 years, from 1973-2004. As a member of the Penguins organization, when they won the Stanley Cup in 1992 George used his "Day with the Cup" by visiting the Pittsburgh Blind Association and allowing the visually impaired to share in the experience of "seeing" the cup by feel.

A celebration of the life of George F. Buerger, Jr. will be held at Calvary Episcopal Church, 315 Shady Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 on Saturday, July 20, 2019 at 12:00pm, followed by a reception in the church hall.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to ASOPRS Foundation "in memory of Dr. George F. Buerger Jr”, PO Box 916048, Longwood, FL. 32791, or online at www.asoprsfoundation.org. 

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