Dr. Ernest Nicola Shwayri, surgeon and leader, died peacefully on Thursday, September 29. He was 68. He was beloved and respected by his family, friends, and colleagues for a life defined by deep intelligence, compassion, and integrity. Ernest was a planetary force, emitting a fierce passion, unwavering loyalty, and the gravitas to pull others towards him.
Ernest did not merely practice medicine—he sought to advance and improve it. His career as a surgeon, culminating in his role as the Chief of Surgery for ten years at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, reflected a relentless quest to improve health care outcomes and health system processes that improved the lives of the thousands of patients he directly treated, the tens of thousands of patients treated within his surgical service, and the generations of patients who will benefit from his institutional legacy and systems innovation at the VA. His positive impact also included job creation, community leadership through the Antiochian Orthodox Church, and as a father, grandfather, teacher, mentor, and friend. Everyone loved Ernest, and he lifted up those around him, inspiring them to be their best selves.
Ernest was born on October 31, 1953, as the first child of Nicola and Rebecca (neé Mann) Shwayri, in Beirut, Lebanon.
Ernest received his MD from the American University of Beirut School of Medicine in 1977. After graduating from medical school, he emigrated from Lebanon to the United States, and started his surgical residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts.
During his residency, Ernest met and fell in love with Joan, a surgical nurse at St. Vincent Hospital, who was not only the love of his life, but his best friend, confidant, and biggest supporter during their 43-year marriage. Ernest and Joan were married in 1979, and from 1982 to 1994, Ernest was a general and vascular surgeon in private practice. In 1994, Ernest was recruited to join the VA, and began to practice at the West Roxbury VA Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of a plan to prepare for the opening the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center.
Being a surgeon was not just a job to Ernest, it was a calling. He felt a tremendous responsibility to his patients and everyone he worked with during his 25-year tenure at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. Ernest developed and maintained a surgical service that received the highest possible rating of any surgical service in the country from the Joint Commission. He was a staunch advocate for patient care, the eradication of medical error, and the priority of compassionate and comprehensive care for veterans. His success brought him endless pride and joy, but he always remained a humble surgeon.
Despite his tremendous accomplishments as a surgeon, Ernest would be the first person to tell you that, to him, his family was everything. Ernest cherished his children and adored his six grandchildren. He maintained close relationships with his extended family and was proud of his heritage. He counseled his children constantly, dispensing all of the advice he could muster—whether it was solicited or not—but his actions were the true lesson. He was kind and generous, consistent and reliable, and imminently loving. Ernest always kept his word, and always delivered on his promises.
Not unlike his signature moustache, Ernest did not live within the confines of societal expectations. He was an optimist and an active participant in life. He never backed away from a fight, and he stood up for what was right, championing the causes of those who were vulnerable. Later in life, he would always proudly warn those around him that he raised four lawyers, and they all had his back. Ernest enjoyed the simple things. He loved technology, being with family and friends, a holiday prime rib, and a tall gin and tonic with lime (Bombay Sapphire only).
Ernest is survived by his wife Joan Shwayri (neé Golaszewski); his four children, Rebecca Pagani of Birmingham, Michigan and her husband Michael; Andrea Shwayri Ferraro of Jupiter, Florida and her husband James; Nicholas Shwayri of Kensington, Maryland and his wife Alison; and William Shwayri of Washington, D.C.; his six beloved grandchildren, Isabella and Michael Pagani, Julian and Marcus Shwayri, and Jack and Mia Ferraro; his sister, Rita Somi of Worcester, Massachusetts and her husband Joseph; and his three nephews, George, Tom, and Peter Somi; his brother-in-law Raymond Golaszewski of Worcester, Massachusetts and his wife Alicja; and his niece Eva Drozdowski.
Friends, relatives, and colleagues are invited to attend calling hours on Tuesday, October 4, between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m., at St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, and again on Wednesday, October 5, at 9:30 a.m., followed by his funeral services at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, 1317 Florida Mango Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406. Burial will immediately follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park, 6411 Parker Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33405.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in Ernest’s memory be made to St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, Repair and Improvement Campaign, which can be made by Zelle (through your bank, online) to [email protected]
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