Dr. Richard R. Gacek

Dr. Richard R. Gacek, a revered figure in the medical community and a beacon of wisdom and passion, passed away peacefully on September 5, 2025, in Notre Dame Healthcare, Worcester, MA. Born on February 23, 1930, in Buffalo, NY, the son of the late Michael and Helen Gacek, Dr. Gacek lived a life marked by dedication to his family, his faith, and the field of medicine, and his love for the University of Notre Dame.

After receiving a full scholarship offer from the Notre Dame Club of Buffalo, Dr. Gacek embarked on his academic journey at the University of Notre Dame, IN, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree while graduating magna cum laude. His time at Notre Dame was incredibly formative as it deepened his faith, friendships and love of learning. Dr. Gacek stated that attending Notre Dame absolutely changed his life and receiving the scholarship was the most influential moment in determining his path in life.

His pursuit of medical excellence led him to the State University of New York, Buffalo, where he obtained his Medical Degree. He honed his skills through an internship at Sisters of Charity Hospital in Buffalo, where he met the love of his life, Elaine Klein. After the internship, he completed a Research Fellowship at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. During his fellowship, his service to his country was exemplified by his tenure as Lt. Gacek in the U.S. Navy. And, more importantly, he married Elaine during this period. After the completion of his Research Fellowship, he started his residency at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, and completed his residency at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston.

Dr. Gacek's professional life was distinguished by his roles as an incredible teacher, researcher, innovator and leader. He published numerous research articles and books and focused much of his time on understanding and treating Meniere's disease. His research has provided a deep legacy to the medical community, and his reputation as an engaging and wise lecturer made him a sought-after speaker across the world. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, and he held leadership positions in a multitude of professional committees and societies supporting his field. Dr. Gacek was a member of the prestigious international Collegium Oto-Rhino-Laryngolcium Amicitae Sacrum, and he served with distinction as past President of the Triological Society and the American Otological Society, where his passion for otolaryngology was evident to all who worked with him.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Gacek was an Associate Surgeon at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston and an Associate Professor in Otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School. After Harvard, Dr. Gacek became Professor and Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology at UMass Medical School followed by Professor and Chairman at SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse, NY, Chief of Otolaryngology. He then was a Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of South Alabama, Mobile followed by his last stop as a Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. His commitment to education and leadership was demonstrated by a professional career that lasted almost seventy years. He published his last book, Meniere's Disease: Myth and Reality in 2020 at the age of ninety.

Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Gacek was a man of deep faith and a devoted Catholic, who cherished the time spent with his beloved wife, Elaine C. (Klein) Gacek. Elaine was the love of his life, and they embarked on a wonderful journey of over sixty-six years together. Elaine would always bring a smile to his face. They enjoyed traveling the world together as part of Richard's professional obligations, and they loved spending time together in Cape Cod, where they had a residence for fifty years. In addition to Elaine, Richard is survived by his loving children, Mary J. Carroll and her husband Donal of Brighton, Dr. Mark R. Gacek and his wife Pamela of Mobile, AL, Richard R. Gacek, Jr. and his partner Doug Hudak of New Hope, PA, and Catherine A. DeVoe and her husband David of Westport, CT. Richard is also survived by his grandchildren, Michael Gacek and his wife Brooke, Marissa Sellers and her husband Todd, Peter Gacek and his wife Kaitlin, Mark Gacek, Jr., Elena DeVoe, Sydney DeVoe, and Paige DeVoe. He was predeceased by his brother Robert Gacek, his sister Adeline Petrowski, and his granddaughter, the dearly remembered Cassandra Gacek.

Dr. Richard R. Gacek's life was a testament to the power of dedication, the importance of family, and the pursuit of knowledge. He leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire and influence for generations to come. His passing is a profound loss to all who knew him, and he will be deeply missed.

A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 10 AM in the Chapel of Notre Dame du Lac, 555 Plantation Street, Worcester.

A visiting hour will be Thursday from 9 AM - 9:45 AM prior to the funeral Mass at the Chapel of Notre Dame du Lac.

Private burial will be held on Friday, September 19, 2025 in Holy Trinity Cemetery, Harwich.

Memorial donations may be made to the Parkinson's Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Ste 1509, New York, NY 10018.

A remembrance from a fellow Alumnus

Subject: Passing of Dr. Richard R. Gacek, Mass Eye and Ear Alumnus

Dear colleagues,

It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of Dr. Richard R. Gacek, Mass Eye

and Ear alumnus. Dr. Gacek graduated from the Harvard Medical School/Mass Eye and Ear

residency program in 1964 and subsequently joined the faculty, serving as an Associate Surgeon

at Mass Eye and Ear and an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School.

He went on to serve as Professor and Chairman of Otolaryngology at UMass Medical School and

later at SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse, where he was also Chief of Otolaryngology. He

subsequently held a professorship at the University of South Alabama before returning to

UMass Medical School as Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck

Surgery. His nearly seventy-year career reflected a lifelong commitment to education and

leadership.

Trained in the otopathology tradition at Mass Eye and Ear, Dr. Gacek transformed how we

understand dizziness and Ménière's disease. He shifted focus towards vestibular ganglion

pathology, documenting neuronal loss in human temporal bones and describing ultrastructural

features consistent with latent viral injury. From these observations, he advanced the

"vestibular ganglionitis hypothesis," proposing that Ménière's disease, vestibular neuritis, and a

subset of BPPV represent phenotypic variants of a common neuropathic process.

Over more than six decades, he published more than 100 papers, chapters, and reviews;

synthesized cross-disciplinary findings into influential conceptual articles; and held leadership

positions in major specialty societies. His work systematically integrated human histopathology

with clinical syndromes, compelled sustained evaluation of viral mechanisms in inner ear

disease, and helped keep human temporal bone evidence central to contemporary

neurotology.

Dr. Gacek published his last book, Meniere's Disease: Myth and Reality, in 2020 at the age of

ninety. He was a remarkable researcher, teacher, innovator, and leader who will be deeply

missed.

Please take a moment to read his obituary: Obituary information for Dr. Richard R. Gacek

A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, September 18, at 10 AM in the Chapel

of Notre Dame du Lac, 555 Plantation Street, Worcester.

We are grateful to Andreas Eckhard, MD, for his scientific contribution to this tribute.

Sincerely,

Mark Varvares, MD, FACS