George Anthony Tralka, MD
July 15, 1926 ~ May 14, 2019
Born July 15 1926 Erie, PA., to Martha Tralka and Professor Joseph J. Tralka while his father served as Professor of Music on the faculty of nearby Alliance College. He also spent his early days in Utica, NY, Worcester, MA., and Buffalo, NY., before his father settled in Amsterdam, NY., as a church organist and choir director. During World War 2 Tralka volunteered for service in the U.S. Army and served as a replacement rifleman with the 103rd Infantry Division in Germany and Austria and was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and campaign ribbons. His infantry company was witness to the May 5, 1945 surrender of the German 19th Army in Innsbruck.
He earned a BS in 1949, and an MD in 1956, both from Georgetown University. Before entering Medical School he was employed as a Biologist in the Endocrinology Section of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health chaired by the late Dr. Roy Hertz and was present at the dramatic reduction of a breast malignancy with the first known use of a large intravenous dose of estrogen. After receiving his medical degree, he interned at Mercy Hospital, Buffalo, NY. Following his internship he shared a private general practice in that city for a year, and later returned to Washington where he continued his training at the Mt. Alto Veterans Administration Hospital in Washington, during which time he co-authored medical articles with his Medical Directors Dr. Ed Fries, and Dr. Sol Katz. He joined the Medical Staff at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Washington D.C. during the time of its supervision by Dr. Winfred Overholster. Beginning in 1962 he served as a contract physician to the Medical Division of the Department of State and during 1964 and 1965 served as Director of the Medical Clinic at the American Embassy in Bangkok, temporarily replacing the late Dr. Alan Cameron.
On his return he established a private practice in Internal Medicine in downtown Washington DC. and continued to travel for the Department of State. In 1970 he moved his practice and eventually his residence to Vienna, Virginia where he married the former Judith Harper Blum and continued his private practice until his retirement in 1994. He was a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He was on the Faculty of the George Washington University School of Medicine as an Instructor in Physical Diagnosis, and as Clinical Instructor in Internal Medicine, and the Georgetown University School of Medicine as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine in which capacity he instructed many students in his office.
He had active hospital privileges at the former Doctor’s Hospital, Washington DC, the George Washington University Hospital, the Washington Hospital Center, and the former Columbia Hospital for Women, the former Fairfax Hospital, the Commonwealth Hospital, Fairfax, VA., and the former Fair Oaks Hospital. During his years of attending patients he never refused to make a house call, which he considered to be a responsibility and privilege. Following retirement from private practice he joined the Walter Reed Army Medical Center Civilian Employees Health Clinic at the Pentagon as a staff physician until the year 2000 to be with his ailing wife who died in 2002. He was a member of the American Medical Association, the Fairfax County Medical Society, the Medical Society of Virginia, the American Society of Internal Medicine, a past member of the Erie County (NY) Medical Society.
He is survived by his loving son George A Tralka, Jr., Katrina Tomlinson, Kirsten Reisz, and two sisters, Alicia McDermott and Jane Tralka, Delaware.
Dr. Tralka was a devotee of music and was taught the violin by his father. He was an amateur cartoonist and was the art editor of his high school yearbook and his Georgetown Medical School yearbook. In his later years, he wrote books about his time in WW II and about Amsterdam, NY; his final project was a family history scrapbook. He traveled abroad frequently. He was a handyman, and a family archivist, and also enjoyed reading and cooking.
The family will receive at the Money & King Funeral Home, 171 W. Maple Ave., Vienna, Va., on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 from 2-4 & 6-8 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, June 6th at 11:30 AM at St. Mark Catholic Church, 9970 Vale Rd., Vienna, Va. Interment will follow at Quantico National Cemetery at 2 :00 PM with military honors.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contribution may be made to a charity of ones choice.
He earned a BS in 1949, and an MD in 1956, both from Georgetown University. Before entering Medical School he was employed as a Biologist in the Endocrinology Section of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health chaired by the late Dr. Roy Hertz and was present at the dramatic reduction of a breast malignancy with the first known use of a large intravenous dose of estrogen. After receiving his medical degree, he interned at Mercy Hospital, Buffalo, NY. Following his internship he shared a private general practice in that city for a year, and later returned to Washington where he continued his training at the Mt. Alto Veterans Administration Hospital in Washington, during which time he co-authored medical articles with his Medical Directors Dr. Ed Fries, and Dr. Sol Katz. He joined the Medical Staff at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Washington D.C. during the time of its supervision by Dr. Winfred Overholster. Beginning in 1962 he served as a contract physician to the Medical Division of the Department of State and during 1964 and 1965 served as Director of the Medical Clinic at the American Embassy in Bangkok, temporarily replacing the late Dr. Alan Cameron.
On his return he established a private practice in Internal Medicine in downtown Washington DC. and continued to travel for the Department of State. In 1970 he moved his practice and eventually his residence to Vienna, Virginia where he married the former Judith Harper Blum and continued his private practice until his retirement in 1994. He was a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He was on the Faculty of the George Washington University School of Medicine as an Instructor in Physical Diagnosis, and as Clinical Instructor in Internal Medicine, and the Georgetown University School of Medicine as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine in which capacity he instructed many students in his office.
He had active hospital privileges at the former Doctor’s Hospital, Washington DC, the George Washington University Hospital, the Washington Hospital Center, and the former Columbia Hospital for Women, the former Fairfax Hospital, the Commonwealth Hospital, Fairfax, VA., and the former Fair Oaks Hospital. During his years of attending patients he never refused to make a house call, which he considered to be a responsibility and privilege. Following retirement from private practice he joined the Walter Reed Army Medical Center Civilian Employees Health Clinic at the Pentagon as a staff physician until the year 2000 to be with his ailing wife who died in 2002. He was a member of the American Medical Association, the Fairfax County Medical Society, the Medical Society of Virginia, the American Society of Internal Medicine, a past member of the Erie County (NY) Medical Society.
He is survived by his loving son George A Tralka, Jr., Katrina Tomlinson, Kirsten Reisz, and two sisters, Alicia McDermott and Jane Tralka, Delaware.
Dr. Tralka was a devotee of music and was taught the violin by his father. He was an amateur cartoonist and was the art editor of his high school yearbook and his Georgetown Medical School yearbook. In his later years, he wrote books about his time in WW II and about Amsterdam, NY; his final project was a family history scrapbook. He traveled abroad frequently. He was a handyman, and a family archivist, and also enjoyed reading and cooking.
The family will receive at the Money & King Funeral Home, 171 W. Maple Ave., Vienna, Va., on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 from 2-4 & 6-8 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, June 6th at 11:30 AM at St. Mark Catholic Church, 9970 Vale Rd., Vienna, Va. Interment will follow at Quantico National Cemetery at 2 :00 PM with military honors.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contribution may be made to a charity of ones choice.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle