Charles Horwitz

Charles A. Horwitz, M.D., age 92, of St. Louis Park, passed away September 25, 2026. Charles was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. He received his B.S. and M.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. After spending two years as a general practitioner at the United States Public Health Service Indian Hospital in Talihina and Tahlequah, Oklahoma, he did specialty work in pathology at the Boston City Hospital and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. In 1968, Charles settled in Minneapolis where he practiced pathology for over 45 years and was a professor of pathology at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. In the 1970s and 1980s, he initially taught in and later directed a popular laboratory medicine course for medical students at the former Mount Sinai Hospital of Minneapolis. During this period he collaborated in research studies with two well-known Philadelphia virologists, Drs. Werner and Gertrude Henle. These studies led to multiple publications on Epstein-Barr virus- related topics, including infectious mononucleosis. From 1981 until his initial retirement in 2008, Charles was a member of Hospital Pathology Associates, where he served as the director of the University’s pathology training program at the Abbott Northwestern Hospital. He always felt that the most satisfying aspect of his work was the relationships developed with clinical colleagues, as well as the mentoring of young pathologists in training. In October 2007, Charles was honored as a co-recipient of the first annual Distinguished Pathologist Award by the Minnesota Society of Pathology. From 2009 until 2017 he taught part-time in the second-year medical student pathology laboratories at the University of Minnesota. Charles and his late wife, Helene, a former associate dean for student affairs at the University of Minnesota Medical School, enjoyed leisure time with family and their two golden retrievers. Other interests included travel, golf, music and the local sports scene. Charles also served as a part-time facilitator for the Edina Grief Support group in 2013 — 2017. Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Esther and Morris Horwitz; brother, Armin of Oakland, CA; and in 2008 his loving wife, Helene. He is survived by four children, Martin, Michael, Karyn and Jeffrey; four grandchildren and his special friend, Muriel. Funeral services to be held 10:00 am, MONDAY, September 28, 2026, at TEMPLE ISRAEL, 2323 Fremont Ave. So, Minneapolis MN 55405, also available via Zoom: www.hodroffs.com/CharlesHorwitz
Shiva Monday 5 pm, Temple Israel. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Helene and Charles Horwitz Scholarship Fund for Altruistic Medical Students, c/o University of Minnesota Foundation, 200 Oak Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-1234