Dr. Eileen Frances (Wolf) Feldman
Dr. Eileen Frances Wolf Feldman, daughter of Helen and Gerald Wolf of Natick, MA, died on August 11, 2024, at the age of 70. Despite the challenges she faced in life resulting from a chronic neurologic condition, transverse myelitis, that she developed at the age of 42 and later a progressive lung disease that ultimately took her life, she lived a life of courage and determination.
Eileen was born in Boston, MA on August 4, 1954. She was the product of Boston Public Schools including Girls Latin before her family moved to Natick, MA at the end of her 8th grade. Eileen excelled academically graduating Valedictorian from Natick High School in 1972, Magna cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Tufts University in 1976 where she pursued her love of biology to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (class of 1980). There she would meet and later marry Dr. James Feldman. She completed her residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester, MA, because the author of the renal textbooks she loved, Dr. Bud Rose, who would develop UptoDate and change the practice of medicine, was a member of the faculty who became a lifelong mentor. She completed her renal fellowship at Boston University.
Following her renal training, she served as Chief of Nephrology at Worcester City Hospital, then was part of the Department of Nephrology at St. Vincent’s Hospital. Dr. Wolf was recognized for her excellence as a clinician and educator. She was outspoken in her advocacy for women in medicine.
After she retired from renal medicine because of her neurologic disabilities, she was a volunteer at Temple Beth Am in Framingham and co-leader for the Jewish Coalition for Literacy teaching math and reading to students in an elementary school in Framingham.
Eileen was gifted with an effervescent personality and an ability to engage people. Her Barbara Walter’s style of connecting with and interviewing people led her to lifelong relationships with many people. Once learned, she never would forget someone’s birthdate or details of their lives.
Eileen readily shared her knowledge of and love for flowers and her expertise informed the careful plantings of the home that she designed in Framingham and culminated in her visit to Monet’s Gardens at Giverny during a trip to Paris that she won from WBUR. She excelled at games and loved doing word and math puzzles. She was also passionate about Boston sports teams especially the Boston Red Sox and was among the fans who stayed up in 2004 and never gave up hope and then travelled to Florida to see “her boys” at spring training before beginning chemotherapy for breast cancer. When younger she loved playing tennis and remained an avid fan rooting for her favorites, Rafa and Serena, as well as watching her daughters Stephanie and Hope play tennis for Framingham High School.
Her wicked sense of humor carried her through even the most difficult of times and arduous treatments including the several life-threatening events that she endured over the last two years of her life. She was devoted to Judaism and its rituals and holidays and being a part of the lives of her large and extended family of cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Eileen said that of the many titles that she held in life, that of mother and grandmother were the ones she most valued. She took great pride in seeing her daughters Dr. Stephanie Feldman and Dr. Hope Feldman pursue their careers in medicine and in seeing the kind of patient centered and humanistic approach that they demonstrated. She welcomed son-in-law Dr. Joshua Allen Dicker into the family and above all she cherished being part of the lives of her grandchildren, Vivian and Zachary. Eileen especially treasured the deep bond that she shared with her sister Marcia and brother-in-law Barry Gilbert and nephew Joshua. Dr. Wolf also leaves her husband of 44 years, Dr. James Feldman and the blessing that was their life together and Hope’s beloved grand dog Dexter.
In lieu of flowers, Eileen has requested donations to a charity of choice, or consider Act Blue, Crohn’s Colitis and Arthritis Foundation, the American Lung Association, The Mass General Hospital Adult Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis Clinic, the Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association and the MSPCA. Funeral service at Temple Beth Am, 300 Pleasant St., Framingham, MA, on Tuesday, August 13 at 11 am. Burial at Beit Olam Cemetery, Wayland. Visiting hours at Eileen’s home following internment until 7pm and Wednesday and Thursday 1pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm.