Dr. J. Ramsay Farah

Dr. J. Ramsay Farah, MD, MPH, FAAP, FACPM, DFASAM, CPE, CMRO, DABAM

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. J. Ramsay Farah, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and dedicated physician, who left this world on Wednesday August 27, 2025, at the age of 80 years old.

Born Saturday, April 7, 1945, in Beirut, Lebanon, he was the son of the late Wadih J. Farah and the late Olivia (Risk) Farah. By their influence Dr. Farah pursued medicine with distinction, graduating from the American University of Beirut before completing residency and fellowship training at the University of Maryland Hospital in Pediatrics. He went on to earn a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University, where he became a lifelong Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine.

For over five decades, Dr. Farah served communities in Maryland and beyond as a pediatrician, public health leader, and pioneer in addiction medicine. He founded and directed Phoenix Health Center and Phoenix Behavioral Center in Hagerstown, where he cared for countless patients with compassion and dedication. He held numerous leadership roles, including Chief Medical Officer at Phoenix of Health, Medical Director of Sierra Military Health Services, Director of Region 5 for American Society of Addiction Medicine, and North East Regional Medical Director at United Healthcare.

A Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, Dr. Farah was recognized nationally for his expertise in substance use disorders, complex pain management, and integrated behavioral health. He also served on the Maryland State Board of Physicians, chaired state advisory committees on practice standards, and helped shape medical policy for the betterment of patients across the region.

Throughout his career, Dr. Farah received numerous awards recognizing both his medical leadership and his community service. He was honored with multiple Governor's Citations from the State of Maryland, a Special Congressional Recognition from the United States Congress, and commendations from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland presented him with its Distinguished Board of Trustees Award and President's Award, while the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and American Lung Association acknowledged his many contributions to public health. Locally, he was recognized by the Washington County Medical Society, the Arc of Washington County, and the Hagerstown Junior College, among others. As a proud Rotarian, he was a Paul Harris Fellow with four sapphires and served as District Governor. His accolades also extended to cultural and civic life, including recognition from the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, which he helped found, and proclamations from world leaders for his role in establishing the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland. These honors reflected not only his professional excellence but also his deep commitment to service and humanity.

Dr. Farah held an unshakable faith in the transformative power of medicine. However, his most enduring legacy extends far beyond his professional achievements. It lives on in the countless lives he touched along the way. To his patients, he was a steadfast beacon of comfort and hope; to his colleagues, a wise and compassionate mentor; and to his family, a devoted husband and father whose generosity, kindness, and passion inspired all who knew him. His presence will be profoundly missed, but his spirit and influence will forever remain in the hearts of those he served and loved.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 60 years, Elizabeth Farah, son Patrick W. Farah and wife Tanya, daughters, Jessica Farah Hafer and husband Alexander and Veronica Nadia Farah, grandchildren, Ramsay P. Farah, Ramsay A. Hafer, Frederick A. Farah, Xavier A. Hafer, Elizabeth N. Farah, Brigitte M. Farah, Julius Ramsay Farah and Paris S. Farah, sisters Jacqueline Anid and husband Elie and Viviane Domian, sister-in-law Beatrice Pharaon and husband Cesar.

He was preceded in death by his son, Frederick Guy Farah, brothers-in-law, Johnny Domian and Xavier Latru, father-in-law Guy Latru and mother-in-law Nadia (Khayat) Latru.

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, September 5, 2025, at 10:00 am, at St. Ann Catholic Church, 1525 Oak Hill Avenue Hagerstown, MD, with the Rev. Msgr. J. Bruce Jarboe officiating.

The Farah Family invites all who knew and loved Dr. J. Ramsay Farah to pay their respects during the visitation at the Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, 1331 Eastern Blvd N, Hagerstown, MD, on Thursday, September 4, 2025, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm and 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

Interment will be at the Rose Hill Cemetery, 600 S Potomac St, Hagerstown, MD.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the American Society of Addiction Medicine Ruth Fox Scholarship Fund http://www.asam.org/ruthfoxnow