Name: Memorial Gathering for Dr. Hassan Najafi
Start: 2017-05-27T15:00:00.000Z
End: 2017-05-27T17:00:00.000Z
Location: Wm. H. Scott Funeral Home

Hassan Najafi, 86, of Northfield. Loving husband of Marsha Najafi, nee Dunn; devoted father of Kevin Najafi, Susan (Andrew) Davidoff, Melinda (Paul) Cooke, and Chris (Jill) Najafi; proud grandfather of Brian, Sophie, Matthew, Bailey, Grace, Maggie, Jacob, and Adam. Hassan Najafi was born May 22, 1930 in Tehran, Iran. He completed his surgical residency at Pahlavi University Hospital in December 1956 before moving to the United States. He married Marsha Ann Dunn from Pocatello, Idaho, on December 28, 1959 and became a U.S. citizen on July 7, 1964. He established residence in Northfield, Illinois with his family and remained there. On December 27, 1968, he performed the first successful heart transplant operation in Chicago. In 1972 he became chairman of the department of cardiovascular-thoracic surgery at Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago for a period lasting 25 years. Friends and family will gather Saturday, May 27, 2017, 10:00 a.m. until time of funeral services, 12:00 noon, at Wm. H. Scott Funeral Home, 1100 Greenleaf Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) appreciated. For funeral information 847-251-8200.

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Published by Chicago Tribune from May 22 to May 24, 2017.

Memories and Condolences
for Hassan Najafi

23 Entries

Asal

December 30, 2022

I miss you so much. Always and forever
Asaly

Roibin Pendergrast

May 19, 2018

Today...one year later and I think of and share stories of Dr. Najafi often. Always remembered as a man of great talent, integrity and love. Peace.

Colleen Lagro

January 23, 2018

He did my fathers transplant at rush. He was a wonerdful, powerful man.

Mos Sher

November 24, 2017

My sincerest condolences for the passing of my dear friend and colleague Hassan. May he Rest In Peace.

Saied Nadjafi

October 8, 2017

I only experienced you for a short while and that much later in life, you had already left Iran when i was still a child, but I did hear of you a lot as you were making headline news with your successes and achievement in groundbreaking heart-surgeries in Chicago. you left for sure your marks behind and made a difference for humanity, if only each of us could do a little bit for the humanity as you did.
God bless your soul, rest in piece,
Saied Najafi
Torornto, Canada

Marge Gunnar

July 6, 2017

Mrs. Najafi:
I was sad to learn of the passing of your husband from Nancy Messer. Although I have not met you or your husband, I send you my sincere condolences. I lost my beloved husband, Dr. Rolf Gunnar, in March. I know that he knew your husband. It is difficult to be strong during this time of great sadness and mourning, but friends and family will be a great comfort to you. They say that time heals all wounds. We will both find out if that is true.

Your sister in sorrow,
Marge Gunnar

Cynthia Cooke

June 1, 2017

To Mrs. Najafi and family, I'm so sad to hear of the passing of Dr. Najafi. I have wonderful memories of spending time at your house while I was growing up. I even remember his mother spending lots of time at your home. He even danced with me at Lea Ann's wedding. I was out of town for the service, otherwise I would've been there. Thinking of you all. Cynthia Cooke

Robin Pendergrast

May 31, 2017

A special message for an extraordinary gentlemen and physician. Like so many other appreciative former patients, almost 32 years Dr. Najafi...took personal care of my cardiovascular " needs " His confidence and support was unparalleled to myself, my soon to be bride Marla and family. But I truly had developed a special relationship with him. Approximately 3-4 months earlier Dr. Najafi...a serious tennis player...became irritated with a limb in a tree overhead shadowing part of his home court.
Here comes the chain saw and up the tree...during the match. Whoops. As he was attacking the limb he slipped and severely cut is knee. I should also mention that I was a Northfield fire fighter / paramedic. Within minutes myself and two colleagues were at his home, up the tree to control a very serious lacerated knee...bleeding profusely. All good, taken care carefully down the tree IS started under his watchful eye. Always cool and even then a true gentleman. God bless you good doctor. Yes...RIP.

Elizabeth Olson

May 31, 2017

I am saddened at the news of Dr. Najafi's passing. I babysat for Kevin, Susie and Belinda on Clover Lane as a young girl and loved watching him write an aerogram to his mother in Farsi. He was a loving father and husband and I very much enjoyed spending time with the family.

"Iddy" Olson

Vince Rizzo

May 26, 2017

A great surgeon/physician and a true gentleman in every sense of the word. I had the privilege and honor to have been part of his surgical team, as a perfusionist, between 1991 and 1998.

Matthew Marron

May 26, 2017

Doctor Najafi performed a successful heart surgery - coarctation of the aorta when I was 6 years old at RPSL in the 1960s. He was a wonderful and kind person with a healthy sense of humor. Doctor made me comfortable in the subsequent annual checkups until I was 21. Met him years later at a dinner in Chicago, where Dr Najafi was recognized.

The surgery enabled me to resume playing sports growing up and continues today with basketball in a men's league. God bless the Najafi family and the staff at RPSL.

Matt Marron

Surendra Chawla

May 26, 2017

I was the first fellow hired by Dr Najafi at his lab in 1972 followed by residency in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery and helped me find my employment in Hartford CT in 1976.
He was a gifted surgeon and a dedicated teacher who helped the residents in
their quest for knowledge and teach the perfections in the art of surgery.He used to say " keep the operative field clean and hand motions smooth as if some one is taking a recording of your operation". This lasted in my mind for the next 40 years in my practice and built a large cardiac center in Hartford.
He was my teacher, a mentor and became my friend. He visited Hartford to dedicate an Auditorium in my family's honor, attended my daughter's wedding and countless consultations on phone about my difficult patients illnesses and was always available if I needed him.
Will miss him a lot. Wish Marsha and children sincere condolences for the loss of husband and a father.

Surendra K Chawla

West Hartford CT 06117

May 26, 2017

Dr. and Mrs. Najafi were neighbors of my mother, Ellen Kelsch, at Marrakesh Country Club in Palm Desert, CA. I remember Dr. Najafi as a gracious, kind man. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and sympathy go out to Marsha and the rest of the family.

DeDee Fosco

May 26, 2017

My sincere condolences to the entire Najafi family. I was a 14 year old girl when I met him. I had been in the hospital on and off for 2 years with reoccurring thrombophlebitis, upon hearing of my condition Dr. Najafi had me and my family paged at the airport. We were on our way to Mayo Clinic. He insisted we meet at PSLH so he could evaluate me. Dr.Najafi operated on me twice, held my hand after both surgeries and showed me the true meaning of the kindness of strangers. Fast forward 49 years and I am still well. This man, this kind soul truly changed my life.
May God Bless you all.
DeDee Wallace Fosco

Alex and Patty Doolas

May 25, 2017

Hassan was an exceptional husband, father, colleague and master surgeon. I remember his first day on call on the CV service. I was the senior resident on call. While RPSL Hospital had its yearly picnic at Pheasant Run he performed his first operation as attending that evening on a patient with inflammatory abdominal aneurysm. I remember Hassan courting beautiful Marsha while she worked as a nurse in the ER. My family and I visited her parents in Pocatello. My sincerest sympathy to you Marsha and you family for your loss of a great human being, husband and father. Alex and Patty Doolas

Sheryl Hipps

May 25, 2017

Our sincerest condolences to all of the family. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
May your memories and the caring of others comfort you.
May his lifelong work and his memory always be for many blessings generation to generation.
With deepest sympathy,
The Hipps Family

Barbara Herr

May 24, 2017

Dr. Najafi was a kind, compassionate and brilliant soul that helped my family and me four decades ago. We have remained friends through out the years and I am a better person because he was in my life. My love to Marsha and the kids I'm so fond of. Blessings to all of you.

robert higgins

May 24, 2017

What a wonderful man who led our field for many years
Always a gentleman and professional
Condolences to his family
He will be missed
bhiggins

May 24, 2017

The man had magic hands. He could get sicker patients through bigger operations on the heart and aorta than any chest surgeon I have ever seen work.

-- An Old Cardiologist

jose Velasco

May 24, 2017

Our love and prayers to all the Najafi's. Dr Najafi welcomed and guided me when I first came to Rush in 1988. He helped me implement a first class cardiac program at Rush NorthShore. Great leader.

May 24, 2017

Our love and condolences to all the Najafi's and their families.
Hassan was a special man and he will be missed by all who knew him.
Barbara and Ned Cooke

May 23, 2017

My heart goes out to the Najafi's. Kevin Najafi is my dear friend and colleague and he loved his dad dearly. Praying for peace for the entire family.
Gina Treadwell, W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc.

sara najafi

May 23, 2017

My condolensces to the Najafi family. I am so lucky to have known and loved my uncle Hassan. He was an honor and a blessing. He will forever be missed. He had the kindest most graceful soul and he will forever be my role model. My latest memories are of my calls to both marsha and him sharing something that Kaden (my son) did or said that got lost in translation between farsi-english: he would laugh out loud telling me how much he enjoys the stories. May he rest in peace. Sara Najafi.

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