Arlene Schwartz notices the new green buds growing in the nearby bushes as she stands on her porch.
"This right here is very much, Peter [Schwartz]," she says. "He loved the outdoors and enjoyed seeing all the new growth on the trees and shrubs."
Many people knew Peter E. Schwartz, MD, for being a pioneer in women's health and for establishing the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Yale School of Medicine, but there was much more to the man who passed away last October.
“What was always so special was Peter's smile,” reminisces Schwartz. “No matter how he was feeling, he had that heart-warming smile that showed how much he cared for me and others.”
The two were married for 58 years and made many memories together, but one stands out for Schwartz.
"He had a stick shift Green Buick Special that he loved. But I soon discovered he loved me more when he tried to teach me how to drive it," she chuckles. "It just kept buckling when I attempted to change gears. After many practice drives, he eventually traded it for an automatic convertible hardtop. I knew our marriage would last,” Schwartz says, smiling.
As time passed, the family grew, and eventually their three sons left the nest, but they all made a point to spend Thanksgivings at the Schwartz home in Orange.
"He was happiest when people would come to the house; he enjoyed hosting, and it was particularly special when it was family," Schwartz says. "Many people may not know he was excellent at carving a turkey. I suspect his surgical skills came into play."
Family time for the late physician often included a pickup game of football in the backyard, hiking, skiing, cheering from the stands during Little League games or swim meets, and hands-on hobbies.
"He really did enjoy woodworking," says Schwartz. "He made desks, toy boxes, even a turkey."
One project in particular lives on.
"Our grandson came for a visit,” says Schwartz. “He was about three years old at the time and asked me why there were so many trees where we lived. I didn't know what to say, so I told him, 'It’s so grandpa can make a statue of you.'"
The late Schwartz then went into his woodworking space, traced his grandson, and they created a wood cutout together, which still sits in the Schwartzes’ living room.
“That grandson is now a medical student, and his late grandfather couldn’t have been prouder. He was so proud of all his sons and grandsons,” adds Schwartz. “In fact, Peter's greatest pleasure in life was to be a father to our three sons and then grandfather to five grandsons.”
His greatest passion, she says, continued to be for his patients. “He was always seeking better ways to care for and support them. He felt it was one of life’s highest callings to be a physician, and that included the honor of teaching medical students, residents, and fellows.”
Other joys in Peter’s life surrounded music, movie classics, dancing, and reading.
His wife says he made a point of enjoying a wide spectrum of books—spy thrillers and mysteries as a diversion, and non-fiction “to broaden his knowledge.”
And his favorite movie? Casablanca.
"The theme song at our wedding was ‘As Time Goes By,’” remembers Schwartz. "I think Peter knew every line from that film."
"And one of our favorite dance songs was Glen Miller's ‘In the Mood.’ Our children thought we were like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire,” she smiles. “We danced up until the same year he passed away.”
... No matter how he was feeling, he had that heart-warming smile that showed how much he cared for me and others.
Arlene Schwartz
Schwartz says her husband lived his life to the fullest—not only impacting the field of gynecologic oncology, but always interacting with patients, colleagues, and family from a place of compassion, support, caring, and kindness.
"We had a fantastic marriage, and I was so lucky to have spent the time I did with him," says Schwartz. “We all were.”
The late Schwartz passed away on October 20, 2024, after a long battle with cancer. He was 83. Help his legacy live on by donating to the Peter E. Schwartz, MD, Endowment, a fund established in 2009 to support Yale gynecologic oncology research, training, and education.