Martin Joseph Adelman

Martin Joseph Adelman, MD (86) of Tampa passed away peacefully on November 14, 2024. He was born and raised in New Haven, CT, in 1938 to his loving parents, Maurice and Kathryn Adelman. Martin attended Hill House High School and went on to Yale University, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in 1960. He married his high school sweetheart, Priscilla, with whom he was married for 64 years.

From a very young age, Martin was deeply passionate about becoming a doctor, driven by a desire to treat every patient with both compassion and expertise. His natural curiosity and fascination with science and medicine guided him throughout his life, shaping his dedication to healing and helping others.

Martin and Priscilla moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where he completed his medical degree at University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1964 as well as his internship in 1965. During this time, they had 2 children, Deborah and Howard.

Martin had an opportunity to do his residency in Tampa from 1965-1969 in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and felt fortunate to have been selected to train under Richard T Farrior, MD. in Tampa.

He proudly served as a major in the United States Army at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and has been a proud member of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA.

Martin devoted 35 years to private practice as a Board-Certified Otolaryngologist and was a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. His patients, staff, and colleagues held him in high regard, not only for his exceptional expertise but also for his compassionate bedside manner. Martin believed deeply in providing quality care to every patient, regardless of their circumstances. In addition to his private practice, he served as one of the team physicians for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he cared for many prominent figures, further solidifying his reputation as a trusted and dedicated physician.

Martin was known for his vibrant personality, intelligence, integrity, and infectious sense of humor. One of his favorite poems was "The Measure of Man" by Grady Poulard, which resonated with his deep love for others, his genuine sincerity, courage, and the happiness he shared with those around him. Martin was always generous and kindhearted, dedicating much of his time to helping others through selfless acts. He was deeply committed to his family and friends, and especially grateful to the families who welcomed him and his loved ones when they moved to Tampa—people who opened their hearts to them, becoming a second family in a new place. Martin had a remarkable ability to listen with empathy and an open mind, always offering his honest and thoughtful opinion.

Martin had a wide range of creative and intellectual pursuits. He was passionate about collecting art, photography, and spending time at the beach, boating, and cooking—especially outdoor grilling, where he was known for making delicious wings and ribs. A lover of music, Martin enjoyed all genres, from Cantorial music to his time spent singing with the Heralds of Harmony and the Florida Gulf Coast Chapters of the Barbershop Harmony Society from 2001 to 2007. He also cherished traveling the world with Priscilla, family, and friends, and even taught himself several languages to connect with people wherever he went. A committed community member, Martin was an active participant in the Downtown Tampa Rotary and was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow. He was also President of Congregation Schaarai Zedek from 1985-1987. One of his favorite yearly events was watching the Yale-Harvard Football game with Dr Bryne Marston.

Survivors include his devoted wife, Priscilla, daughter, Deborah (David), son, Howard (Paula), brother, David (Sheila), cherished grandchildren, Carly and Shelby, great-grandson, Bodhi, and niece, Denise— all of whom he loved very much.

He will be greatly missed!

The family is grateful to: Dr Richard Bymaster, Dr Norman J Castellano, Dr Barry Frank, Dr Anthony Brannan, Dr Christopher George, Dr Scott Cutler, and Dr Van Epps.
Southwest Florida Home Care- Marina, Tory, Peter, Victor and John
The Wonderful Caregivers-Bibi and Esther

In lieu of flowers, Memorial Contributions can be made in his honor to:

St Jude’s Hospital

Rotary Camp Florida 1915 Camp Florida Road Brandon, FL 33510

Tampa Jewish Family Services or a charity of your choice.

The family requests acknowledgements to be sent to Deborah Adelman Strauss’ residence at 9821 Compass Point Way, Tampa, FL 33615.