Faiza Fawaz Estrup

Faiza Fawaz Estrup, Ph.D., M.D., died on July 14th, 2013 of pancreatic cancer. She was a renowned scientist, rheumatologist, educator, linguist, chef, and painter – a renaissance woman. She leaves a loving husband, Professor Peder J. Estrup, and extended family in Lebanon, Denmark, Austria, and the USA.

Faiza grew up in beautiful Lebanon and came to the US at age 18 to study physics at Boston University. She received a Higgins Scholarship and obtained her PhD in Biophysics at Yale University. On her first day at Yale, she met her future husband, Peder, a Fulbright Scholar from Denmark, who was studying for his PhD in Physical Chemistry. They fell in love and remained that way for 56 years.

Faiza obtained her M.D. Degree from Brown University Medical School in 1975 and was a practicing rheumatologist and Medical Director of the Arthritis Center of RI. In addition to seeing private patients, she also served as Chief of Rheumatology for 20 years at the Memorial Hospital of RI. She was a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a Founding Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology.

In 1999, Dr. Fawaz Estrup was appointed the first Associate Dean of Medicine at Brown University for Clinical Faculty. She became Clinical Professor of Medicine, was voted the RI woman Physician of the Year 2002, and was the recipient of the 2002 Brown Medical School Excellence in Teaching Award. Dr. Fawaz Estrup was chosen as one of America’s Top Physicians for the years 2003 to 2007.

In 2004, the Estrups retired in Santa Barbara – which reminded Faiza of beautiful Lebanon. They enjoyed the Newcomers’ Club, concerts and operas at the Music Academy, research at UCSB, and courses in Spanish at SBCC. They travelled extensively in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. At home, Faiza painted watercolors and became a member of the Los Padres Watercolor Society.

A memorial service will be held on August 31, 2013 at 2:30 pm at the Live Oak Unitarian Universalists Congregation, 820 North Fairview. Interment will be at a later date at Columbia Memorial Park in Columbia, Maryland.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation, 2200 Lake Blvd, NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30319.