MARCH 30 • 2023 | 93

D

r. Jan Rival, 87, of Bloomfield 
Hills, died March 15, 2023. 
He was born in Bratislava 
of the former Czechoslovakia, and 
was married there in 1963 to Eva 
Slobodova. Both are 
Holocaust survivors. 
Raised in a fam-
ily of doctors in 
Czechoslovakia, Jan 
never doubted that he 
would also become a 
physician. Dr. Rival 
became a renowned 
internist and cardiol-
ogist respected by his 
peers, admired by his 
students and beloved 
by his patients and, of 
course, his family.
Jan earned his med-
ical degree in 1959, 
summa cum laude, from 
Komenski University 
Medical School in 
Bratislava, remaining 
on the faculty in cardiology after his 
residency. In 1967, he earned a covet-
ed one-year fellowship in the United 
States. 
In communist Czechoslovakia, if 
allowed to leave the country, it was 
customary for families to be left 
behind. Through his foresight, Jan 
was able to confidentially procure 
passports for both his wife and daugh-
ter. An anonymous tip was left in the 
mailbox informing Jan that his family’s 
passports would be revoked immi-
nently. Jan, Eva and their daughter 
fled that night, hoping the authorities 
would let them board a flight to leave 
the country. 
Dr. Rival completed his year-
long fellowship in cardiology at 
Philadelphia General Hospital. While 
he was in Philadelphia, the Soviet 
invasion of Czechoslovakia forced 
him to make the difficult decision of 
leaving family and friends behind and 
remaining in the United States. Dr. 
Rival then completed a second fel-

lowship in cardiology at Wayne State 
University. In 1969, he joined Henry 
Ford Hospital, where he remained for 
the rest of his career.
Dr. Rival served as division head 
in the Department of 
Internal Medicine from 
1985-1996. He served as 
the president of the Henry 
Ford Medical Association 
and was the recipient of the 
Distinguished Career Award 
in recognition of his exem-
plary service.
Fluent in German, Russian, 
Hungarian, Czech and 
Slovak, he used his linguistic 
skills to recruit medical staff 
for Henry Ford from Eastern 
Europe. Also, his many 
languages gave him a loyal 
following of patients who 
gained comfort speaking to 
their doctor in their native 
tongue and enjoyed his per-
sonality, knowledge as well as 
home visits when needed.
Dr. Rival was also a clinical asso-
ciate professor of medicine at the 
University of Michigan and received 
its Outstanding Teacher Award in 
1994 for his commitment to educa-
tion. In 2006, he received a Lifetime 
Achievement Award from the 
American College of Physicians, which 
honors doctors for their leadership. 
Jan loved the opportunity to teach res-
idents. Dozens upon dozens of physi-
cians are former students of Dr. Rival.
Jan’s patients honored him by creat-
ing two scholarships in his name. The 
Jan Rival Outstanding Resident Award 
is presented each year to the most 
outstanding resident. The Jan Rival 
Resident Traveling Fellowship annual-
ly supports a resident traveling to the 
National ACP meeting. 
Dr. Rival served as governor of the 
Michigan Chapter of the American 
College of Physicians, which present-
ed him with its Laureate Award and 
Lifetime Achievement Award. He 

was also elected to ACP Mastership, 
the highest honor bestowed upon a 
member of the college. Jan is also a 
fellow in the American College of 
Cardiology; and in 2010, he was pre-
sented with the Distinguished Alumni 
Award, honoring physicians who have 
made significant contributions to the 
field of medicine. Finally, the Dr. Jan 
and Eva Rival Education Room at 
Henry Ford Hospital was dedicated in 
honor of Dr. Rival’s 45 years of service.
Jan’s greatest pride and joy was his 
family: his beloved wife, Eva, with 
whom he was married for almost 60 
years; his two daughters, and his seven 
wonderful grandchildren. 
Jan enjoyed a wide variety of sports 
and hobbies. He was a competitive 
basketball player in Bratislava and 
transitioned to playing tennis in 
America until the age of 80. He was an 
avid hockey fan and became a doctor 
for the Detroit Red Wings. Jan raised a 
sporty family and regularly supported 
each of his children’s and grandchil-
dren’s competitions including hockey, 
soccer, tennis, swimming, baseball, 
volleyball and squash. Jan and Eva also 
enjoyed playing master points bridge 
and traveling the world together.
Jan taught those around him how 
to love, work hard and be generous 
to others always with integrity and a 
sense of humor.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park 
Cemetery. Contributions may be made 
to Zekelman Holocaust Center, 28123 
Orchard Lake Road, Farmington 
Hills, MI 48334, holocaustcenter.org; 
Jan Rival, M.D. Resident Traveling 
Fellowship, Henry Ford Health, 1 Ford 
Place, Suite 5A, Detroit, MI 48202-
3450, henryford.com/development/
make-a-gift (to donate, select “direct 
my gift to” button from the drop-
down menu to designate your gift to 
the Rival Jan Rival, M.D. Resident 
Traveling Fellowship, or Jan Rival, 
M.D. Outstanding Resident Award. 
Arrangements by The Ira Kaufman 
Chapel. 

A Dedicated Physician

Dr. Jan Rival

