Harold Diftler, D.D.S., loved Knoxville. He was born in 1927 at Fort Sanders Regional. He ran a dental practice here for 46 years. And even though he and wife Joyce Robinson Diftler has moved to Los Angeles to be near family, when Dr. Diftler passed away he returned home where graveside services will be held tomorrow (6/9/21). Full obituary details are here.
His parents, Rose and Ben Diftler, had Diftler’s Jewelers on Gay Street, first in partnership with Dr. Diftler’s uncle, Max Friedman, and later solo. A wonderful oral history from 2003 is published here – the work product of Kurt Piehler and Brad Mason. Dr. Diftler talks about growing up in Knoxville in the 1920s and ’30s. Check it out.
Like his uncle Max, Harold Diftler left a legacy of community service. He was president of the Knoxville Symphony, Blount Mansion and Heska Amuna Synagogue. He was a board member of Children’s Hospital for 25 years and was instrumental in bringing the Ronald McDonald house to Knoxville.
(Note: the photo is by Cynthia Moxley in The Blue Streak, May 10, 2012)