Paul Ocken

Dr. Paul R. Ocken, 77, passed away November 30, 2016. Paul was most recently a resident of Ponte Vedra, FL, and also counts Watchung, NJ, Nantucket, MA and New York, NY as former homes.

Paul was born on July 11, 1939 in the Bronx, NY, where he was known as “Pinky,” a stickball-playing kid who was a full 6’2” and 200lbs at 12 years old. Paul parlayed his size and athleticism into football and wrestling scholarships at Stuyvesant and Trinity high schools and then to Springfield College. His coaching career was derailed by academics and science, however, and after graduating college in 3 years he worked as a research associate, partially under Nobel Prize-winner Dr. Severo Ochoa. He received his PhD from NYU in 1966 and M.D. from the New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry in 1973.  In 1974, he was awarded a research grant from the NIH to continue his groundbreaking research on cataracts. Dr. Ocken moved into private practice in 1976, helping to build and lead a successful ophthalmology practice in Northern New Jersey. He maintained his commitment to teaching throughout his career, which included an assistant professorship at Rutgers University.

Paul was an avid golfer (4 holes-in-one), scuba diver (explored the Great Barrier Reef) and sailor (3 notorious accidents with his boat, "Ram-Bam"). Paul and his wife enjoyed 51 years of traveling, cooking, socializing, and raising a large and loving family together.

He is survived by his wife Lynn; his three children, Michele Wolfson (Michael), Matthew Ocken (Rachel) and Libbi Cinti (Darren); his grandchildren Ben, Jonah, Lila, Jack, Wylie, Piper, Tate and Georgia.

A private celebration of Paul’s life was held at Sawgrass Country Club where he enjoyed many years of cigars, drinks and sunsets at the ocean’s edge. The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be made either to Children’s Glaucoma Foundation or The Fresh Air Fund.