Dr. Ziad A. Al-Assaad

COLUMBIA - A funeral service for Dr. Ziad A. Al-Assaad, 84,will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, January 3, 2026, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, with burial in Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. prior to the service at the church, to include Trisagion Prayers.

Ziad Al-Assaad passed away on December 28, 2025 leaving behind a legacy of service, excellence, and a dedication to medicine and country.

A beloved physician, husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, Ziad was a humble man of deep faith, integrity, wisdom, and compassion. He lived a life marked by dedication to his family, friends, faith, and community. Entirely self-made and largely self-taught, he was known for his generosity, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to service.

Ziad was the proud father of three children, Timothy, Nadine, and Ronnie, and the devoted grandfather of Anna Maria, Isabella, and Kinley. He was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings Samir, Alexander, Samira, Alexandra, and Hayfa; and by the love of his life, his beloved wife, Ghada.

Raised on a farm, Dr. Ziad Al-Assaad was born on March 5, 1941, in Izraa, Syria, to Assad Al-Assaad and Saliteya Alnusier. Ziad left home at a young age to pursue his education in Daraa. His academic excellence earned him a national ranking of third in Syria and with the president of Egypt awarding him a full scholarship to Ain Shams University in Cairo. Due to political unrest, he completed medical school at Damascus University. After military service, during which he attained the rank of Colonel, his reputation for excellence led to his recruitment by the Dean of the American University of Beirut and later recruited in the United States at Emory University.

In 1973, Ziad immigrated to the US with his family and continued his distinguished medical career. Board-certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, he served for decades at the USC School of Medicine and the VA Medical Center, ultimately becoming Chief of Pathology. He received numerous honors, published extensively, and mentored generations of physicians.

Although he retired in 2018, his passion for medicine led him to continue working part-time. He later returned as Chief of Pathology full-time for five years before retiring again. Even then, he continued to work part-time until 2024. Due to complications from leukemia (CLL), chemotherapy, and kidney failure, Ziad was eventually unable to continue, though his desire to serve never faded.

A devoted Orthodox Christian, Ziad was a member of St. Elias Orthodox Church in Atlanta and Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Columbia.

He reposed peacefully in the loving arms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, surrounded by family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

May his memory be eternal.

Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.