The Russian immigrant came to the United States in 1913, as a baby. As he grew up, he studied hard and made it through college and into medical school, much of which he paid for during the Depression by working odd jobs, including selling Enquirer newspapers.

He went on to treat wounded soldiers during World War II, then returned to Cincinnati where he worked nearly 35 years in an internal medicine practice.

Dr. Sapadin died last Sunday at the Cedar Village Retirement community in Mason. He was 92.

Dr. Sapadin loved history, especially that of Cincinnati.

"He just really loved Cincinnati," said his son, David M. Sapadin of Naperville, Ill. "He had a very keen sense of the importance of the history of Cincinnati and he loved to visit the city's historical sites."

David Sapadin said his father was a busy doctor during the week, but made sure he spent weekends with the family.

"On weekends, we'd go around visiting the historical sites, including cemeteries from the 1700s. He loved Cincinnati's museums and the opera."

Dr. Sapadin was born in Priluki, Russia in 1912. He graduated from Woodward High School and, in 1940, he graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

From 1942 to '46, he served in the U.S. Army in Europe, first as a battalion surgeon with the 373rd Engineers and later as the Chief of Infectious Diseases with the 197th General Hospital.

Upon returning to the United States, Dr. Sapadin began his residency at the Cincinnati General Hospital. In 1948, he began practicing internal medicine with Dr. William Johnson.

Dr. Sapadin retired from his medical practice in 1982. He later worked as a consultant for the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission's Bureau of Disability Determination.

He was also a professor emeritus at UC and a member of the McMicken Society.

He lived in Boca Raton, Fla., and Columbia, S.C., before returning to Cincinnati in 2000 to live at Cedar Village.

Dr. Sapadin loved the Reds, Bengals and UC basketball and football.

He was preceded in death by his three wives, Joan C., Margaret H., and Agnes W.; brothers Louis and Ben; and sisters, Lillian Gittelman and Shirley Hamburg.

In addition to his son, survivors include two daughters, Ellen Herskovitz of Forest Hills, N.Y., and Mary Jo "Sweeta" Block of Deerfield, Ill.; five grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services have been held.

Memorials: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267 or Cedar Village, 4015 Executive Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45241-4017.

E-mail kandrew@enquirer.com