Dessouky A. Dessouky

1932 - 2023

Dessouky A. Dessouky, MD, PhD, of Charlottesville, died unexpectedly on Friday, April 7, 2023, in a pedestrian accident in Cairo, Egypt. He was visiting family and friends at the time.

Dr. Dessouky was born in Mit Ghamr, Egypt, on January 18, 1932, and was a graduate of Ain Shams University in Cairo, where he obtained his medical degree and trained in obstetrics and gynecology. He came to the United States in 1961 to enter graduate school at Tulane University where he earned a PhD in anatomy, after which he accepted a position as assistant professor of anatomy at Georgetown University in 1964. He trained further in ob-gyn at Georgetown and served in that department as a practitioner, researcher, and teacher for over 30 years. For many of those years he was active at VHC (Arlington Hospital) in practice and in directing Georgetown students and residents in their ob-gyn training. In 2000 Dr. Dessouky retired as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Dr. Dessouky married Caroline Justice in 1969 and they lived in McLean, Va. for 28 years, raising their family. In 1970 he proudly earned US citizenship while maintaining close ties to his homeland.

In retirement he and Caroline moved to Charlottesville and enjoyed being close to Caroline's sister, Alice Justice. Dr. Dessouky long served as a valued practitioner at the Charlottesville Free Clinic and was a volunteer preparer for the AARP Tax-Aide program. He learned organic vegetable gardening and enthusiastically mowed and pruned on the property around their home.

He is survived by Caroline and their three beloved sons and their families, Dean and Alanna Dessouky of Washington D.C., and their children, Lillian and James; Neal and Dr. Elizabeth Dessouky of Mill Valley, Calif. and their son Sam; and Alex and Hilary Dessouky of Santa Barbara, Calif. and their daughters, Lyle and Sasha. His grandchildren lovingly called him "Giddy," a translation from Arabic. He wrote for them a lengthy autobiography recounting his childhood, early education, immigration experience and career in science and service.

He also leaves beloved siblings Zeinab, Fatma, and Wagdy in the United States, Naama and Nadia in Egypt, nieces and nephews in both countries, as well as sister-in-law Janette Griffin of Winston-Salem, N.C.

Following a prayer service at the Islamic Society of Central Virginia, a private burial was held on April 14, 2023, at Monticello Memory Gardens Cemetery.