Felix R. Fernandez-Madrid

Félix R. Fernández-Madrid, 96, of Royal Oak, Michigan, died on July 30, 2024. He was born in Chivilcoy, Argentina on November 5, 1927 to Rodolfo Osvaldo Madrid and Luisa Angelica Fernández and was the oldest of six siblings. In 1954 he married Anamaria ("Anita") Berger, a marriage that was of central importance to them both and that lasted 69 years until Anita's death. During his long career as a university professor and researcher, Félix played a major role in the development of the Rheumatology Department of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where he served as its Department Chief for 35 years. He was especially proud of his role as director of the rheumatology fellowship program, and personally served as research advisor and mentor to over 100 fellows or residents, many of whom later found successful careers in clinical practice or academia. A beloved professor, he was a three-time recipient of the teaching award from Wayne State University's School of Medicine. One of his favorite classes was Physical Diagnosis taught annually to second-year medical students.
While his early research focused on cardiology and rheumatology, in later years his focus shifted to cancer, where he pioneered the idea that the immune system plays a major role in cancer pathology and that autoantibodies can serve as biomarkers enabling the early diagnosis of breast cancer - an idea that was extremely controversial at first, but is now beginning to be accepted as mainstream. A prolific writer, he published over 70 academic journal articles as well as the book, Treating Arthritis. He also wrote on nonmedical subjects, including a biography of Che Guevara (with whom he had gone to medical school), two books of Spanish short stories (one translated into English), and a beautifully Illustrated book of original Spanish poems.
As a physician, Félix was generous with the time he gave his patients, always listening to them closely, doing a thorough physical exam, and showing genuine concern for their well-being. For these qualities he earned their gratitude and affection, with some becoming lifelong friends.
Félix and Anita were both wine connoisseurs, and traveled widely to Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and Austria where they would visit wineries. At family dinners, Félix was fond of bringing a bottle of wine disguised in a bag and asking those present to taste the wine and guess what type of grape(s) it was made from, whether it was young or old, and from which country it came from. Félix was also an epicure, enjoying quality food, and had a very healthy diet due to Anita's excellent home cooking. This diet combined with regular exercise - he swam at least three times a week and played tennis into his 80s - resulted in his being in excellent health, taking no medications, until his death at 96 from an accidental fall.
Félix had four children and played a major supportive role in their lives. When the children were young, he would often read to them, with Greek mythology being a favorite subject. Félix was an excellent chess player (rated over 2000), and taught the game to all the children. He supported and encouraged his children's athletic activities, taking them to swim meets on weekends and playing tennis with them. Later in life, he was often consulted on medical issues. As the children experienced the ups and downs of marriage and career, he consistently offered an empathetic ear and provided critical support.
Family was important to Félix, and he kept in close contact with his brothers, sisters, and other relatives in Argentina, making frequent trips and calls on WhatsApp. He was proud of his Argentine heritage, always rooting for the Argentinian team in the World Cup and for the Argentinian tennis players competing in major tournaments.
In his early life, Félix earned his B.S. degree from the Colegio Nacional de San Isidro in Buenos Aires and went on to earn his M.D. degree from the University of Buenos Aires, graduating at the top of his class. He topped off his education with a Ph.D. degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Miami. Félix's long academic career lasted until he finally retired from Wayne State University at the age of 96, receiving Emeritus status. But even then, he continued to work, planning a trip to Sweden to present his latest research.
Félix is survived by his children Rose, Félix, Iván, and Ana, as well as Ana's spouse Don and Iván's spouse Jennifer. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, as well his brother Juan Carlos and his sisters Silvia and Biya.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 18, 2024 from 4-6pm. Please contact Ana for details at donjonesanamadrid@gmail.com or 248-245-4612.