Col. Samir B. Shamiyeh USAF Ret.

Dr. (Col, USAF, MC, Ret) Sam B. Shamiyeh (75) of Dayton, Ohio passed away on Thursday, September 27, 2012, after a long battle with leukemia. He graduated from the UT Health Science Center Memphis in 1959. His surgical training was interrupted as he responded to being drafted by the Air Force, serving from 1961 to 1963. Then, after completing a surgical residency in 1967, he practiced surgery in Knoxville, Tennessee primarily at University Hospital where he was an instructor in surgery. He was recruited by the Air Force in 1980. He had an illustrious military career that spanned between 1980 until retirement in 2002. During that time, he served as chief of surgery at USAF MC Wright Patterson AFB and later as chief of surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He held academic positions at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Wright State University School of Medicine, and University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. He is survived by his wife of 48 years Faye; daughter Rebecca Haberlandt and husband Tom of Dayton, Ohio; son Dr. James Shamiyeh and wife Laura of Knoxville, Tennessee; three grandchildren, Andrew Haberlandt, Claire Kathryn and Henry Shamiyeh; sister and brother-in-law Aida and the late Khalil Jaber of Fairfield, California; brother and sister-in-law Bill and Jeanie Shamiyeh, of Knoxville, Tennessee; sister and brother-in-law Rima and Jim Hulen, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Victoria and Boulos Shamiyeh. A prayer service will be held at 9:15 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012 at TOBIAS FUNERAL HOME – BEAVERCREEK CHAPEL, 3970 Dayton-Xenia Rd. with a 10:00 am graveside service to follow at Valley View Memorial Gardens, 170 N Valley Road, Xenia, OH. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at the funeral home from 6pm to 8pm with a brief service at 7pm. Because of his lifelong dedication to medical education, Dr. Sam Shamiyeh requested donations be made to University of Tennessee College of Medicine scholarship fund in lieu of flowers. Donations can be made payable to the UT Foundation with notation or memo “College Fund for Medicine” in Dr. Shamiyeh’s memory. Donations can be sent to Zach Pretzer, Director of Development; Hyman Building, Room 513; 62 South Dunlap Avenue; Memphis, TN 38163. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.tobiasfuneralhome.com.