Yildizalp M. Naci

Yildizalp M. Naci
Beloved husband, father, grandfather, and physician, Dr. Y.M. Naci entered eternal rest on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Dr. Naci leaves behind his wife of 47 years, Fusun, of Stratford, and two daughters, Susan and Kim, and four grandchildren, Rainen, Ayse, Anders, and Sabine, all of Brooklyn, N.Y. He loved his son-in-laws Alan Barlis and Michael Young, as though they were his own children.
Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Dr. Naci came to the United States in 1953 after graduating from the University of Ankara's School of Medicine. He then completed residencies in hospitals in Buffalo, St. Louis, and Manhattan. Dr. Naci worked in a research program in the Dept. of Otolaryngology, at the University of California, San Francisco. He was House Physician at Deaconess Hospital in Brooklyn for a year and a half before becoming a staff member at Bridgeport Hospital in 1960.
Dr. Naci maintained his private practice on Main Street in Stratford for 61 years. He served as a Division President of the Turkish-American Physicians Association for many years and was a leader in the Turkish community.
Dr. Naci had been an avid track and field athlete since his youth in Turkey. Completing 22 marathons, well into his 70's, he went on to compete in the Senior Olympics. The family home on Beaver Dam Lake was filled with medals and trophies from races around the country and in Europe. He loved swimming in his beloved Beaver Dam Lake and indulged in swims that would sometimes last for hours. He and his wife Fusun were renowned for hosting epic outdoor get-togethers with friends and family, under the pine trees Dr. Naci planted when he was young. These parties sometimes lasted until sunrise!
Dr. Naci had a great sense of adventure and loved traveling. Having been to nearly every state in the U.S. and across Europe, Dr. Naci especially reveled in exploring Turkey's ruins and historical sites. He was a lifelong student, attending dozens of classes at local universities after retiring, immersing himself in philosophy, art history, computer science, and public speaking.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease. The Naci family appreciates your prayers and condolences.