Edward Kenneth Katz

Edward Kenneth Katz died on April 3, 2026 at age 77. Ed was born on April 24, 1948, in Plainfield, New Jersey. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Cornell University, attended his first two years of medical school at Rutgers University and finished medical school at Tufts University. Ed completed his Residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and Long Island Jewish – Hillside Medical Center, followed by earning a Master of Public Health from Harvard University. He practiced psychiatry for many years, including in academic and community mental health settings, before joining the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) as a physician surveyor.

Ed’s friends and family have noted that he was kind-hearted, loving and inquisitive; someone you could talk to about a wide array of subjects, both heavy and light, and feel better afterwards. He was passionate about understanding human behavior and how to make the world a better place. When in a group of people, Ed was very perceptive and would offer a timely word, often with a dad joke or pun to lighten the mood.

His love of being near salt water and sailing lasted his entire life. He and his wife of almost 42 years, Mindy, loved all kinds of travel, including cruises and Disney trips. He especially loved family travel, starting when their child BK was very young, going to many places as members of the Disney Vacation Club.

Ed is survived by his wife Mindy, his child BK, his daughter-in-law Rachel, and his granddaughter Shoshana. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, https://www.whoi.edu/.

A memorial will be held in May. Please contact the family for details.