WESTON, CONN Dr. Ernest M. Mendeloff, D.D.S., of 27 High Noon Road, Weston, died on Sunday, July 25, 2010, at Norwalk Hospital, following a brief illness. A long-time resident of Weston, Dr. Mendeloff is survived by his wife, Kerstin Mendeloff. He was the son of Max and Sadie Mendeloff, both deceased. He is survived by his children, Janine Mendeloff Hodgson and her husband Chris Hodgson of Guilford, CT, Barry Mendeloff and his wife Jessica Curley of Chicago, Illinois, and Pamela Mendeloff Duffy and her husband Liam Duffy of Elon, North Carolina, and seven grandchildren. His sister, Judy Mendeloff Evall, also survived him, along with her sons, Joseph and Mitchell Evall. Dr. Mendeloff was born and grew up in Bronx, New York. He graduated from the City College of New York in 1948 with a B.S., and graduated from NYU Dental School in 1952. He obtained a post graduate degree in Orthodontics in 1955 from Tufts University, and was a part-time instructor at the Tufts University Orthodontic Department from 1955 to 1956. Dr. Mendeloff practiced orthodontics in Bridgeport, Connecticut from 1956 until he retired in 2005, where he treated thousands of patients over the course of his career. Dr. Mendeloff took a keen interest in the lives of his young patients in particular, and undertook not only to treat them but to mentor them. Dr. Mendeloff was a consultant in the Oral Surgery Department of Bridgeport Hospital, and presented courses on orthodontics at numerous institutions including the Eastman Institute in London, Hospital St. Pierre in Brussells, the National Canadian Dental Association in Toronto, and the Albany Dental Society. Dr. Mendeloff was the founder, financial sponsor, and sole operator of a free orthodontic clinic for indigent patients at Bridgeport University's Fones School of Dental Hygiene. A veteran of the United States Army, Ernest served as a Sargeant in the Army Air Corps in The European Theater during World War II, 902nd Air Engineer Squadron, 9th Air Force. During his service, he built military air bases and also served in the Military Police. He received a European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal, a Good Conduct Medal, and a World War II Victory Medal. Dr. Mendeloff was devoted to public service. He served on the Board of Directors or Trustee for Bridgeport University, the Nature Center in Westport, the Music and Arts Center for Humanity, and Bridgeport University Television Stations. He was the Chairman of the Chinese Committee of the Halsey International Scholarship committee and helped finance education for a Chinese student to obtain a masters in electrical engineering at the University of Bridgeport and financed another for a Ph.D. at the University at Connecticut. He also sponsored the Marine Division of the Bridgeport Police Department by donating two boats. Dr. Mendeloff provided twenty inner city elementary schools in Bridgeport with photographic equipment and supplies. He organized and provided supplies for the "Good Guys" project in which inner city children in Bridgeport built 100 easels for use at Bridgeport public schools. He was active in programs to assist autistic children. Dr. Mendeloff received the "Man of the Year" award in 1987 from the Bridgeport Dental Association for professional performance and public service, and the 1994 Merit Award in the Humanities from the Greenwich Dental Society. Dr. Mendeloff was a gifted sculptor. He did numerous demonstrations at the Nature Center in Westport, and was a guest instructor of sculpture courses for dentistry and orthodontic students at numerous New England universities, including NYU, UCONN, Tufts University, University of Pennsylvania, Fairleigh-Dickinson, and others. He also gave sculpture courses to the visually impaired at the Music and Arts Center for Humanity. In addition to being a talented artist, Dr. Mendeloff was a nationally ranked chess player and an avid tennis player. A private service was held on July 28, 2010 in Norwalk's Hoyt-Cognetta Funeral Home, 5 East Wall Street. Donations in his name may be made to the Jewish Home for the Elderly, 175 Jefferson Street, Fairfield, CT 06825-1098, or the American Heart Association, Memorial Donation, 1 Union Street, Suite 301, Robbinsville, NJ 08691. Hoyt-Cognetta is honored to assist the family with the arrangements.
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