Dr. Reza Hafez

It is with deep sadness that we announce Dr. Reza Hafez, age 78, passed away peacefully on August 11th, 2024 at Agrace Hospice in Fitchburg, WI. He was born on October 12, 1945 in a rural village in the Khorasan province of Iran. The youngest of five children, he excelled in his studies and graduated first in his class at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. This earned him the opportunity to come to America and train as a pathologist at the University of Wisconsin in 1972. He married his beloved wife, Zahra, in 1975, and together they chose to stay and raise a family in Madison.

Reza developed life-long friends in a burgeoning Iranian immigrant community which blossomed into surrogates for his own distant relatives. During his nearly 50-year tenure at UW-Madison, Reza developed a reputation as a go-to consultant for challenging cases across the spectrum of medical specialties and was beloved by his trainees for his enthusiasm and dedication to teaching, for which the annual departmental teaching award was named in his honor.

Reza loved his family, his dear friends and colleagues, and his work as a diagnostician and as an educator of countless medical students, residents, and fellows. Prior to his battle with cancer, Reza enjoyed waking up early to swim, spending time in nature, daily Soduku puzzles, and most of all, a spirited social life with his amazing friends.

Reza is survived by his wife, Zahra, sons Navid (Leah) and Omeed, his brother Taghi, sister Tahereh, two grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews, all of whom miss him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Ali, and sister Sedigheh.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his memory to a charity of your choosing.

Memorial service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Friday August 16, 2024, at Cress Center, 6021 University Ave., Madison. Friends and family can gather at 11:30 a.m. A luncheon will follow the service.