Taher A. M. El Gammal

Dr. Taher Abdel Moneim El Gammal passed away on Thursday, November 3rd, 26 days away from what would have been his 90th birthday. He was born in 1932, the second of five sons, to a prominent Cairo family. His father, Abdel Moniem El Gammal, was a Senator and owned extensive acreage in Fayyum, the breadbasket of Egypt, and his mother, Naima Nour, was the daughter of a Secretary of Justice.

Taher was an exceptional student and completed his undergraduate studies and medical degree at Cairo University. In the 1960’s after the Nasser regime had seized most of his father’s property, he traveled to England to pursue advanced studies in Neuroradiology at the world-famous Queen’s Square Hospital for Nervous Diseases in London. No longer wealthy, he lived off a small stipend and ate fried eggs and cornflakes during the week so that he could splurge at the Star of India restaurant on the weekend with a full meal and a pint of lager. Many years later he traveled back to London for a ceremony for the opening of a new wing at Queen’s Square and met Princess Diana. When he returned for a meal at the Star of India a former busboy, now the manager, recognized him and welcomed him back.

In London Taher met his future wife, Margret Ann Moloney. On completion of his work at Queen’s Square he emigrated to the United States where they married and raised three children while he pursued his academic career at the medical school in Augusta, GA. They later divorced. With his second wife, fellow neuroradiologist Betty Sue, he continued his career as Professor and Chief of Neuroradiology at The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Taher was the author of one book, several book chapters and a multitude of papers in scientific medical journals. His work has been cited in over 20,000 medical papers. He received Cum Laude and Magna Cum Laude awards for his scientific exhibits at the Radiological Society of North America International Meetings. Taher was Secretary of the American Society of Neuroradiology from 1977-1980 and Vice President of the American Society of Neuroradiology from 1986-1987. He served as President of the Southeastern Neuroradiological Society from 1982-1983.

Taher loved tennis, soccer and James Bond movies. He was a fierce Backgammon player since his youth. After retirement in 2004, he began to play Duplicate Bridge and achieved the rank of Bronze Life Master. He was an extremely generous and caring man and loved spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren. He is survived by his beloved wife of 36 years, Betty Sue, his three children and their spouses: Nadia El Gammal and William Anderson of Washington D.C., Dr. Zizi El Gammal and Dr. Brian Webber of Atlanta, GA and Tarek and Dana El Gammal of Nashville, TN. His surviving grandchildren are Aidan Wiley Anderson, Charlotte Rionn Anderson, Liam Nour Webber, Zoe Ann Webber, Isaac Edward El Gammal, Josiah Moneim El Gammal and Olive Loise El Gammal.

Taher had a long, wonderful and exciting life. He will be terribly missed.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service with a reception to follow will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at Ridout's Southern Heritage Funeral Home, 475 Cahaba Valley Road, Pelham,Al 35124.