Dr. Paul Brenner passed away on July 30, 2020 at the age of 84.

Obituary:

Paul Frederick Brenner, MD, former Vice Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center (LAC+USC) passed away on July 30, 2020. He was 84 years old when he died. 

Dr. Brenner was born on January 3, 1936 in Albany, New York. Robert S. Brenner, DDS, is Dr. Brenner’s younger brother and a very successful dentist.

From a very early age, Dr. Brenner’s parents stressed the importance of education. He graduated from the Albany Academy (High School – 1953); Dartmouth College (1957); and Northwestern University Medical School (1962). Following Medical School he completed a one year rotating internship at the Passavant Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois (1963). After his internship he was recruited for two years of medical service in the U.S. Army (Denver – 6 months; Korat Hospital, Thailand – 1 year; and Virginia – 6 months). When his time in the army was completed (1965) he returned to Passavant Memorial Hospital for Residency Training in Obstetrics and Gynecology (1968). During his residency he developed a strong interest in research in the area of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. This interest led him to complete two fellowships (The University of Texas-Southwestern Medical School – 1970; and the Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden – 1973).

In Sweden he met his wife Mirjam Lillemor Strahle. They were married in December 1973, three months after he returned to the United States.

While he was a research fellow he met Daniel R. Mishell, M.D., who had been invited to Sweden to be a challenger of a research paper by a young investigator – Kerstin Hagenfeld. Dr. Mishell was regarded as an expert in the filed of family planning. Dr. Brenner and Dr. Mishell developed a mutual respect for each other which led Dr. Mishell offering Dr. Brenner a position in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the LAC+USC Medical Center. Dr. Brenner accepted the offer to join the faculty where he served from 1973 until he retired in March of 2011 due to serious medical problems.

As a member of the faculty he became a Professor, Director of the Residency program, and Director of the Human Research Committee of the entire Medical Center. Throughout his career he was frequently asked to speak at medical conferences, served as an expert witness in legal cases, and was co-editor of four volumes of the book “Management of Common Problems in Obstetrics and Gynecology.” He was very pleased to work with the exceptional faculty and house staff in an very challenging environment. 

He considered himself very fortunate to have had a wonderful wife, two very special daughters, Erika N. Brenner and Christina A. DiMaio, and three high energy, unpredictable, and sensational grandsons Trevor, Ryan and Colin DiMaio. 

Dr. Brenner wrote his own obituary.  In addition, his wishes dictated that in lieu of flowers family and friends consider donations to USC Ob/Gyn in his memory:

Please send memorial gifts or donations to the USC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Gift Account: 9221251502 - USC Family Planning Fellowship in General OBGYN

https://giveto.usc.edu/?fundid=9221251502&appealcode=WK18EG171&buttongen=1&hidetop=1

Once online, you can specify that the gift is in memory of Paul Brenner MD.