Raymond Alan Wertheim, 73, passed away peacefully on Dec. 8, surrounded by his family. He was born April 30, 1951, in Washington, D.C., to Evelyn and Kurt Wertheim.
A D.C. native, Ray received his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland and his medical degree from Howard University Medical School. He completed his residency in psychiatry at the University of Maryland. He specialized in dual diagnosis patients, treating addiction and general psychiatric conditions. Throughout his stellar career, he helped countless people navigate their way back to happiness, both through his private practice as well as low-income community clinics in Baltimore and the Eastern Shore.
Ray loomed larger than life and lived more than most people could in two lifetimes. A well-respected psychiatrist. A photographer for The Washington Post. An illusionist and magician. A connoisseur of wine, cigars, foods, technology, and anything that caught his attention because of his unending curiosity and zeal for life. A devoted father, husband, and friend with an incredible sense of humor, he was known among friends and family as a legendary chef and host, throwing the most memorable annual July Fourth and Thanksgiving celebrations. As he always said, anything worth doing is worth overdoing. He was a jack of all trades and a master of them all. His heart was immense, embracing all whom he touched.
He is survived by his wife, Shauna Miller Wertheim, and their three children, Jessica (Ian Green), Jerry (Silvi Demirasi) and Michael (Alexa Yarish). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a community mental health clinic of your choice. Services entrusted to Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care.