Golda R. Nobel

Born on Oct. 8, 1906 in Austro-Hungary, she came to the United States as a young child, grew up in Uniontown, Pa. and Pittsburgh, Pa. and graduated from Schenley High School as valedictorian. She was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1928 and attended Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, where she earned a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1931.

After her internship at Northern Liberties Hospital from 1931 to 1932, she married Dr. Bernard Judovich. Their joint general practice became increasingly specialized and concerned with difficult pain problems using regional anesthesia. Together, they co-authored a number of scientific articles. In 1956, following the death of her husband, Dr. Nobel grew interested in the psychological origin of pain and for 10 years, engaged in the practice of psychosomatic medicine. She was one of the pioneers in this field.

She was a member of the neurology staff of Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia and chief of the Pain Clinic of Graduate Hospital from 1956 to 1966. In 1961, she participated in the White House Conference on Aging and co-authored its report.

In July of 1966 she entered a psychiatric residency at the Menninger Foundation in Topeka, Kansas. Her training continued at Roosevelt Hospital in New York, and upon completion of her residency in July 1969 she returned to Philadelphia, where she established a private psychiatric practice. She also joined the staff of the Eastern State School and Hospital from 1969 to 1985, which afforded her an opportunity to work with children.

Dr. Nobel had boundless curiosity, was an avid reader and collected a library of books, from the arts to mythology, that were of special interest to her. Her life was centered on her dedication to family and patients, none of whom will ever forget this courageous and extraordinary woman.

Dr. Nobel was a member of the Philadelphia County Medical Association, the American Medical Association, the American Medical Women’s Association, the Philadelphia and American Neurologic Societies and the Philadelphia and American Societies of Clinical Hypnosis. She was president of the Alumni Association of Women’s Medical College and served on the Board of Trustees of ECRI, a nonprofit health services research agency, which she helped to establish, for four decades.

Dr. Nobel is survived by three children: Joel, Robert and Jane Nobel Maxwell; four grandchildren: Adam, Emily, Erika and Joshua; and one great-grandchild, Nicole.

She was predeceased by her granddaughter Jessica.

Dr. Nobel enjoyed many summers with family in the Adirondacks.