Dr. Elie E. Rebeiz

On March 25, Dr. Elie Rebeiz, 63, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his wife Liliane, daughters Joëlle and Lina, and son-in-law Patrick Laughlin. Dr. Elie Rebeiz fought bravely and fiercely against stage IV pancreatic cancer, diagnosed in December 2020. He frequently utilized his well-honed bedside manner to put his oncology team and family at ease, even in the face of his rapidly declining health. Despite his unkind prognosis, Dr. Rebeiz remained devoted to his patients, staff, and residents, continuing to serve as the beloved Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology at Tufts Medical Center until the end. He was bolstered every day by the outpouring of love and support from his family, friends, colleagues, and past and present residents, who made him feel so loved during his final months.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1958 to Edmond and Suzanne Rebeiz, Dr. Rebeiz grew up during a tumultuous civil war that sparked his passion for helping those around him. He attended the American University of Beirut Medical School where he also completed his residency in Otolaryngology. There, he met his wife, Liliane Yacoub, before they moved to Boston. He completed fellowships at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Lahey Clinic Medical Center before moving to Tufts in 1994. There, he received innumerable medical accolades, including awards for his teaching, research and clinical abilities. He was also named a Boston Magazine “Top Doctor” every year from 2012 to 2021. However, he said loudly and often that his greatest accomplishments were the relationships he forged both within and beyond the Tufts community. He treated everyone as his friend, with warmth, tenderness, and an unmatched sense of humor.

In his rare moments outside of Tufts, you could find him listening to music, organizing movie nights for his residents, walking his daughter’s dog, or traveling. He was a man of the world, as comfortable in Paris as in Boston or Beirut, but most at home wherever he was with his wife and daughters. Dr. Rebeiz was the consummate carer and mentor, staying true to himself until the very end: when told by his family that he was the best kind of human, he told them, simply, that they should strive to “be even better.”

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Dr. Liliane (Yacoub) Rebeiz, his daughters Joëlle and Lina Rebeiz of Boston, his son-in-law Patrick Laughlin of Chicago, and his three sisters, Ghada, Nada, and Rosie Rebeiz of Beirut, Lebanon. A time of visitation will be held on Sunday, March 28, 2021 from 2PM-6PM at the J.S Waterman-Langone Chapel, 580 Commercial Street, Boston, MA 02109. Complementary valet parking is provided in front of the funeral home. A formal funeral service will be held at a later date. For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.watermanboston.com.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society, 38 Chauncy St., STE 700 Boston, MA 02111 or online at cancer.org