Dr. Sheldon Goldberg, a 60-year-old Prince Frederick resident and surgeon at Calvert Memorial Hospital, died after the raft in which he was floating capsized on July 28 in Boulder River of Sweet Grass County, Mont.
Goldberg and his wife, Dr. Ramona Crowley Goldberg, had a summer home in the tiny town of Pray, Mont., according to Brooke Osen, the Sweet Grass County Disaster Emergency Services and 911 coordinator. The couple were fishing with a guide named Chester Marion, a 73-year-old man from Livingston, Mont., Osen said. Marion also died in the incident.
“They had gone out with him several years in a row,” Osen said. “They would go out once a summer.”
But Marion’s long-time knowledge of the river was not enough in the face of major changes to the landscape. Osen said the flooding of the spring has changed everything about the rivers in the area, from their path to their depth.
“The rain came down out of the mountains so fast and so furious that it changed the course of the rivers,” Osen said.
On their trip, Marion and the Goldbergs’ raft went into a group of Cotton Wood trees, Osen said, which caused it to capsize.
According to press releases issued from Sweet Grass County to Montana media agencies last week, Goldberg’s wife, Dr. Ramona Crowley Goldberg, was able to make it to land after the raft capsized and call for help. The call came to authorities at 3:44 p.m. on July 28. Local search and rescue personnel were dispatched, including air, water and ground units. Marion’s body was found at about 7:30 p.m. that day, but the search for Goldberg was stopped for the night at 10 p.m.
By 7 the next morning, search teams were deployed again. Goldberg’s body was found at 2:25 p.m. July 29.
The releases state that both men were wearing chest waders and neither was wearing a life jacket.
“Our hospital family is grieving the loss of our friend and colleague, Dr. Sheldon E. Goldberg, MD, who has devoted his professional life to Calvert County for the past 25 years. Dr. Goldberg, a highly-respected surgeon and the Medical Director of our Center for Breast Care, made innumerable contributions to our hospital and community,” a Calvert Memorial Hospital press release states.
The release went on to say that in addition to caring for patients, he was a musician who used to his talents for the benefit of local nonprofits like the hospital foundation, Calvert Hospice, the College of Southern Maryland and Caring for Calvert’s Kids, among others.
“His passion for life and dedication to serving our community will be long remembered with love and admiration,” the release stated.
According to Goldberg’s obituary, he is survived by his wife and children Olivia, Alexia, Adam, Michael and Rebecca. Funeral services were held Aug. 2 at B'nai Israel Congregation in Rockville. Interment is at Judean Memorial Gardens in Olney. Shiva will be held at the Goldberg family residence in Bethesda through Thursday night at 7 p.m. A memorial service will take place later this month in Calvert County. Memorial contributions may be made to the Center for Breast Care at Calvert Memorial Hospital.
Arrangements are being handled by Torchinsky Hebrew Funeral Home.