Sattar "Doc" Farzan Obituary (1932 - 2024)

Sattar “Doc” Farzan 1932-2024 Sattar “Doc” Farzan passed away in his home in Fairfax, Virginia on March 8, 2024 with his faithful wife of 59 years by his side. He was 92 years old. Doc was born on February 9, 1932 in Tabriz, Iran. He attended medical school before immigrating to the United States in 1960. He met his future wife, Doris “Shan” Tully, while serving as Chief Resident at Louisville General Hospital where Shan was a student nurse. They married in 1964 in Jersey City, New Jersey. Most of Doc’s medical career was in Western New York at the Erie County Medical Center. He practiced internal medicine, with specialties in pulmonary disease and critical care, and was a distinguished professor of medicine at the SUNY at Buffalo Medical School. His students described him as a “walking encyclopedia.” Doc authored four editions of the medical textbook, A Concise Handbook of Respiratory Diseases, which included his personally hand-drawn anatomical illustrations. Doc was a serious man of science, but always believed the adage, “laughter is the best medicine,” and was known for his infamous hospital jokes that his grandchildren especially enjoyed. In contrast to Doc’s esteemed work as a physician, professor, and writer, he was a do-it-yourselfer. As long as Doc was physically able, he did his own electrical rewiring, roof and car repair, and plumbing. He refurbished and repurposed used appliances and furniture. Doc constructed a recreation room and bedroom in his basement all by himself with no prior construction experience. It appeared he could fix anything, big or small. In his free time and retirement, Doc enjoyed listening to classical music. He loved to whistle while he gardened in his backyard filled with flowers and vegetables grown from the seeds he meticulously saved in old medicine containers. He enjoyed acrylic painting on large canvases; scenes of nature were his favorite. Doc was passionate about preparing special dishes for his friends with recipes he created himself from memories of watching his mother cook when he was a child. He enjoyed playing chess, backgammon, and poker with his friends. He wrote multiple memoirs about his career, his family, and how he fell in love with his wife at first sight. Above all else, Doc loved Shan, his children, and his grandchildren. He showed his love as a selfless provider by living a simple and humble life to ensure his family’s continued financial security and well-being. Doc is survived by his devoted wife, Shan, and their three children: Leila Leoncavallo (Nick) of Marshall, VA, David Farzan (Wendy) of Fairfax, VA, and Peter Farzan (Mary) of Vienna, VA; six grandchildren (Kamryn, Taryn, Courtney, Rachel, Steven, and Adam). He is also survived by his sister, Parvin, and was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers. Doc had strong moral principles, believing in the American values of freedom of speech and equal opportunities for all. Doc had a profound impact on his patients, students, friends, and family. A celebration of his remarkable rags-to-riches life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Doctors Without Borders in recognition of Sattar’s service to the underserved. Click this link to view additional details about Sattar's Services: https://my.gather.app/remember/sattar-farzan