A Wright State legend passes

Former Wright State Professor and supporter, Dr. Benjamin Schuster, passed away on Aug. 24 at the age of 89. Schuster had served as a clinical professor of medicine at Wright State since 1975, and made numerous donations to the University, namely the arts program. “When we think of the long list of friends of this university, Benjamin Schuster is among those at the top,” said Wright State President Dr. David R. Hopkins. “His generosity and wisdom have dramatically impacted three schools and colleges across the campus: the Boonshoft School of Medicine, the School of Professional Psychology and the College of Liberal Arts.” In addition to his work at Wright State, Schuster’s legacy reaches far beyond campus. Benjamin Schuster met his wife, Marian, while working as an intern, and they moved to Dayton in 1957. Schuster made a name for himself founding the Kettering Cardiology department in 1965, where he served as the director of the Cardiac Diagnostic and Interventional Laboratory. Schuster worked with patients and trained generations of physicians until his retirement in 2000. His wife Marian passed away in 2007 at the age of 80. The most recent addition to Schuster’s legacy was the opening of the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Hall in the Creative Arts Center, which he largely funded. The state-of-the-art performance venue had its opening ceremony last spring. Schuster sat in the front row.