Dr. V.C. Saied

1931 - 2019

Dr. V. C. Saied

Wichita Falls, Texas - Victor Camal Saied, 88, of Wichita Falls passed away on Saturday, October 26, 2019, in Wichita Falls. V.C. lived life to the fullest with many passions and successes. Most of his remarkable life revolved around medicine, music and devotion to his family. He will be dearly missed.

V.C. was born in Wellington, Texas on July 2, 1931, to Mack Saied, Sr. and Freeda Saied. He grew up and attended the local schools in Wellington. He was a 1951 honor graduate with a B.A. degree from The University of Texas at Austin where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. In 2002, he was one of 83 fraternity alumni honored over the previous 100 years with "The Distinguished Centennial Alumnus Award" for a distinguished professional career and outstanding personal achievements.

He attended medical school at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston where he was a member of Alpha Omega honorary scholastic fraternity and Phi Chi fraternity and graduated in 1955. He was awarded the Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003, which is the highest honor bestowed by the UTMB Alumni Association. He served his rotating internship at Philadelphia General Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before joining the U.S. Air Force as a Captain stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls. He did a one-year general surgery residency and then an anesthesiology residency at Baylor University College of Medicine-affiliated hospitals in Houston.

V.C. returned to Wichita Falls in 1961 to practice anesthesia where he served on the staffs of Bethania Hospital, Wichita General Hospital and Kell West Regional Hospital over the years. He served in many roles in the medical community—serving as president of the Wichita General Medical Society, the Wichita General Hospital Medical Staff and the North Central Medical Foundation. He conceived and established the Wichita Falls Medicine Magazine in 1986 and served as editor until 2004. He was on the steering and planning committee as well as on the board of directors at Kell West Regional Medical Center. He administered anesthesia there from 1998 until his retirement in 2012.

He and his partner, James R. McKinney, established the Wichita General Hospital School of Anesthesia for Nurses where he served as clinical instructor and later as director. They spread their devotion to medicine and humankind by making numerous trips to cities in Mexico with graduating anesthesia students. They provided anesthesia in partnership with Dr. Valentin Garcia for over 500 surgical procedures to correct cleft lips and cleft palates with Proyecto Huasteco, a charitable foundation in Fort Worth.

Music was a huge part of V.C.'s life. He played the cornet in his high school band, The University of Texas Longhorn Band and in a jazz combo in medical school. In 1965, he co-founded a Dixieland band called the Mad Medics and later the Pacemaker's Dance Band. These bands provided many wonderful memories in rehearsals and in public performing for many good causes. The Mad Medics played hundreds of engagements locally and throughout Texas and Oklahoma with all proceeds dedicated to providing scholarships for Wichita Falls nursing, medical and music students.

The greatest partnership in V.C.'s life began during medical school when he met his soulmate and the love of his life, Norma Jeanne Larsen. They married in 1954 and had four children: Victor Jr., Andrew, Richard and Jeanne Ann. He brought much joy, laughter and generosity to his family at large multi-generational reunions, events with grandchildren, holiday gatherings and many special times spent in Crested Butte, Colorado. He had a wonderful sense of humor, loved practical jokes, and had an easy laugh, kind eyes and an incredible heart. He made many sacrifices during his life for his family and patients to make the world a better place. His great love of medicine, music and his love for Norma and his family will be remembered and cherished. He was a longtime member of Fain Presbyterian Church. His was a life well-lived.

V.C. is survived by Norma, his wife of 65 years; his children Victor Camal Jr, Andrew Brian and his wife Amy, Richard Larsen and his wife Deanna, Jeanne Ann and her husband Jon Fleming; grandchildren Victoria and husband Dennis Sukholutsky, Jeffrey, Elizabeth and husband Chris Curlin, Margaret, William, Hugh, Carrie, Martha, Jonny, Larsen, Samantha and husband Grant Phillips; great-grandchildren Miles, Amelia, Sadie, Lauren, Gray and Chloe; brother-in-law Walter Larsen and his wife Joyce; sisters-in-law Barbara Saied and Nancy Dakil; as well as many other nieces and nephews. He had many other relatives and dear friends who were like family. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Blanche Farris, Gladys Taylor, Jennie Massad; brothers Victor Ernest, Mack Jr. and Fred; and beloved nephew Camal Dakil.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, November 2, at Floral Heights United Methodist Church. Visitation will be at 6:00 to 7:30 PM on Friday, November 1, at Lunn's Colonial Funeral Home located at 2812 Midwestern Parkway. Dr. Saied will be buried in Crested Butte, CO.

Memorials may be sent to continue his good work to the Mad Medics Scholarship Fund for Instrumental Music students at Midwestern State University or the charity of your choice.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lunnscolonial.com