Dr. Herbert Edward Gade

Herbert Edward Gade, MD, of Kingston, NY , passed away in Rhinebeck, NY on August 13, 2016, just shy of his 95th birthday. Doctor Gade was born to Samuel and Lillian Gade on August 24, 1921 in Saugerties, NY. He was predeceased by his loving sister, Ruth Sonking.


Dr. Gade graduated from Union College, Albany Medical School and the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. On January 4, 1948 he married Babette Forst Gade. He was immediately called to Army service and within months was posted, with his bride, to Germany where he headed the US Army Hospital in Garmisch-Partenkirchen for over two years, during which Dr. Gade was promoted to the rank of Captain.


Upon their return home Dr. Gade graduated from the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary as an ophthalmologist and was part of a team of three doctors who performed the first cataract surgery in New York State. Herbert and Babette returned to Kingston where he practiced ophthalmology until 1989. He was a staff surgeon at Kingston Hospital and founded the first eye bank for the Mid-Hudson valley.


Extremely creative, when not practicing medicine, Doctor Gade was designing objects, traveling the world and shopping for fabrics and materials with his beloved Babette. They enjoyed 30 magical winters in India.


Dr. Gade is survived by Babette, his wife of 68 years, daughter Kristina Gade-Diels and her husband Jean-Pierre Diels, grandsons Loic and Didier Diels and great grandsons Conner and Parker, and by his daughter Hilarie Gade and her partner John Peters.


Entrusted to the care of Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, Kingston, burial will be private. In lieu of flowers please donate in his memory to Northern Dutchess Hospital or Friends of Historic Kingston.