MORITZ, ALAN RICHARDS (25 Dec. 1899-12 May 1986), forensic pathologist, was born in Hastings, Nebr., son of Richard Daniel and Genevieve Richards Moritz. He received his B.S., A.M., and M.D. (1923) degrees from the University of Nebraska and came to Cleveland as a house officer at Lakeside Hospital (1923-24) and research fellow, then instructor in pathology, at the Western Reserve University School of Medicine (1924-26). After a year in Vienna, Moritz returned as resident in pathology at Lakeside Hospital (1927-31), then pathologist in charge at UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF CLEVELAND (1931-37). At WRU he was assistant, then associate professor of pathology from 1930-37. In 1937 he left for Harvard as professor of legal medicine. During the 1940s Moritz was consulting pathologist to the Massachusetts State Police Force and Department of Mental Health, and chief pathologist at Boston's Peter Bent Brigham Hospital.
In 1949 Moritz returned to Cleveland as professor of pathology at the School of Medicine, Director of the Institute of Pathology of WRU and University Hospitals, and chairman of the Hospitals' department of pathology. He became provost of WRU in 1965, and subsequently of CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, through 1968. He became Director of Professional Affairs (1969), then Chief of Staff (1970-1971), at University Hospitals. Moritz wrote books on forensic pathology and provided expert testimony in many cases, including Cleveland's SHEPPARD MURDER CASE and President Kennedy's autopsy investigation. In 1970 the American Association of Pathologists and Bacteriologists recognized his great achievements. Moritz married Velma Lucina Boardman in 1927 and had 3 children: John Alan, Richard Boardman, and Anne Boardman.