Harold Greenberg, 83, surgeon, mentor at Beth Israel Deaconess

Dr. Harold Greenberg loved the ocean. This time of year, it would be a sure bet to find him enjoying weekends at his Gloucester home or sailing aboard his boat, "Placebo" with his children and grandchildren.

It was a relaxing contrast to his daily life. Throughout the past 50 years, Dr. Greenberg was a medical pioneer, his family said. He was senior surgeon at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, where he taught and mentored medical students and was an early practitioner of colonoscopic and laser colorectal procedures, his family said.

Still operating and working as late as May, Dr. Harold L. Greenberg died Aug. 17 at the same hospital he spent his career. He was 83 and had suffered from pneumonia and other illnesses.

"He was such a wonderful man," said Dr. Peter Mowschenson, longtime friend and colleague, in a statement. "Up until a month ago when he became ill, he still showed up for rounds every week."

Born in Dorchester to Russian immigrant parents, Dr. Greenberg attended Boston Latin School and the University of Massachusetts, said his wife, Barbara (Levenson).

He often told his family about a particularly fond childhood memory -- watching Babe Ruth play baseball in the later stages of his career with the Boston Braves.

Dr. Greenberg, who also kept a home in Boston, fought in Germany during World War II.

He served in the Army's 309th Infantry Regiment, Cannon Company and received a Bronze Star for an extended period of combat that included the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen, his wife said. The battle allowed Allied forces to form a beachhead across the Rhine River in Germany. He was discharged honorably in 1946 as a sergeant.

Dr. Greenberg received a dental degree from Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 1953 and an medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1955. He did his residency and surgical internship at Beth Israel, according to the hospital website.

"Dr. Greenberg was a true stalwart of the department," said Dr. Josef Fischer, chair of the department of surgery at Beth Israel. "Both his clinical and educational contributions have been extraordinary, and he will be sorely missed by all."

Dr. Greenberg was always a reassuring voice. "Harold to me is the strong, reassuring and -- as you say -- humanistic element to illness or trauma," Mrs. Greenberg said. "One always felt his sense of calm, patience, and reason, yet he never offered false hope or lost sight of the practical aspects of the situation."

Mrs. Greenberg said her husband took immense pride in being a doctor and being able to help people.

Dr. Greenberg also had a passion in teaching. He was a clinical instructor at Beth Israel.

"There are testimonials about his medical acuity, but he also got a lot of letters from the doctors he trained," Mrs. Greenberg said.

A passage from one of those letters sticks out for her. An anonymous former student wrote: "Everything about him is something to be modeled, even little things like bending down to pick up a piece of paper on the floor."

In addition to his wife, Dr. Greenberg leaves two sons, David of Winchester, and Russell of Watertown; a sister, Esta Star of Illinois; a grandson and a granddaughter.

Services will be held at noon today at The Levine Chapels in Brookline. Burial will follow at Mishkan Tefila Memorial Park in West Roxbury.