In Memoriam: Paul Dince, M.D.

My friend, colleague, and erstwhile tennis partner Dr. Paul Dince passed away earlier this year after a difficult period of illness. Following bypass cardiac surgery, he suffered a severe hemorrhagic stroke, and lingered for a number of agonizing months before succumbing to the inevitable.

Paul was a gentle and patient man beloved by many far beyond his immediate family. His omnivorous love of music, science, and sport affected others who were close to him. My particular nonprofessional tie with him was as a tennis partner for numerous years. He was a fine partner—never critical and always consistent himself. His musical interest (which we shared) started early—at the age of seven. He continued playing throughout years of practice and lessons, playing in jazz combos at wedding and bar mitzvahs and later at cocktail lounges to meet financial needs.

Graduating from the Bronx High School of Science at age 15, he attended NYU and NYU School of Medicine. Following his internship at the U.S. Public Health Service in Boston, he served as Surgeon at the USPHS hospital on Ellis Island. There he examined many refugees from concentration camps using his knowledge of Yiddish and his capacity for genuine compassion. A college interest in psychiatry evolved after serving as a subintern at Bellevue Psychiatric hospital. Thereafter he served in the military and chose a residency at Bellevue Psychiatry.

His influential teachers, including Irving Bieber, Willian Silverberg, and Paul Zimmering, inspired him to join the Comprehensive Course in Psychoanalysis at NY Medical College.

He worked for two years with adolescents (1953-1954) at The Federal Correctional Institution and later as Chief Medical Office at the National Training school for Boys in Washington, D.C. From 1954 to 1959, he worked as a child psychiatrist at the Institute for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. In 1961 he was invited on the faculty of the