Widad Bazzoui Obituary

Dr. Widad Emil Bazzoui

BRADFORD, Pa. - Dr. Widad Emil Bazzoui, age 95, of Bradford, passed away at home, on Thursday (March 6, 2025), with his wife and members of his devoted family by his side.

He was born May 7, 1929, the first-born son of the late Emile and Mary Homsey Bazzoui, in Baghdad, Iraq.

Widad graduated from the American Jesuit High School in Baghdad in 1946. He finished his medical education at the Royal Medical College of Iraq in 1953. He completed his internal medicine residency in 1954 and practiced internal medicine for five years in service to the Iraqi government as an internist in the outlying tribal areas of the country. You can learn more about his amazing life by reading his memoir, "The Man From Baghdad."

He studied psychiatry at the Mandsley Clinic, (University of London, and Institute of Psychiatry) for four years. He returned to Baghdad in 1964 as the acting director of Shamma'yah Mental Hospital, the only psychiatric hospital in Iraq at that time. Through his efforts, the hospital was transformed into a modern mental health facility. He authored many papers which were published in International Medical Journals during his early years of practice.

In 1968 Dr. Bazzoui immigrated to the U.S. to accept a position as associate professor of psychiatry at the U. of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. He was also the director of the Mid Missouri Mental Health Center.

In 1973 Dr. Bazzoui came to Bradford to accept the position of medical director of CEMP, and later as the medical director of the Guidance Center, Beacon Light Psychiatric Services, as well as Dickinson Mental Health Partial Hospitalization of Bradford. He was a former psychiatric consultant for FCI McKean. He was also the founder of Bradford Regional Medical Center's Psychiatric Department.

Dr. Bazzoui was a past member of the Rotary Club and the Iraqi Medical Society. He was also a member of The Royal College of Psychiatrists of England, diplomat of the Psychological Medicine of the University of London, member of the American Medical Assoc., American Psychiatric Society, PA Psychiatric Society and the PA Medical Society. He was a past president of the McKean County Medical Society.

Dr. Bazzoui, apart from his expansive knowledge in psychiatry, was an avid reader in philosophy, history, politics and general literature. He was fluent in four languages and was a lifelong student, always interested in learning new things. He attended St. Bernard's Church in his early days in Bradford. More recently he has been a good friend to the First Presbyterian Church of Bradford.

Widad was a world traveler, he and Cheryl traveled to 33 countries together. He also loved a good discussion, many of which sounded more like arguments than discussions, but he would be in his glory. He loved watching biographies on the history channel and good movies.

He is survived by his niece, Mae Bazzoui Al-Wareth of Leiceister, England; and a nephew, Laith Bazzoui of Dubai and their families. He has many cousins in Europe, Canada, Syria and Lebanon.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters and a brother, Nadia Bazzoui Leblanc of Brussels, Belgium, Ameera Bazzoui and Farouq, his wife Hasmeek Bazzoui of Baghdad, Iraq, and his ex-wife Ilse Holzer of Germany.

He married Cheryl Himes Fox in 1990. He is survived by two daughters, Reem Bazzoui of Basel, Switzerland and Ban Bazzoui, of York. Also surviving are three stepchildren, Shiela Cleveland of Dubois, Sam(Gina) Fox of St. Marys and Steve (Suzie) Fox of Port Allegany. He is survived by 10 grandchildren, Justin (Jessica) Cleveland of Ridgway, Stephanie (Brian Marcuzzo) Cleveland of Mobile, Ala., Alicia Cleveland (Aaron) Henry of Dubois, Evan, Mitchell and Melina Fox of St. Marys, Ethan (Ana) Fox of Rapid City, S.D., as well as Hayley Fox (Anthony) Vaimaona, of Summerville, S.C., McCauley Jo Fox of Smethport and Emma (Nolan Norcross) Fox, of Bradford; and 10 great-grandchildren, Maddie, Aubrey, AJ and Lexie Henry, Cayden and Synthia Cleveland, Mya, Levi and Amelia Fox and Noah Vaimaona.

He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was known for his intelligence, wit and kindness. He will be greatly missed by all those whose lives he touched.

The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Harriet B. Wick Chapel at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, with a celebration of his life to immediately follow at 1 p.m. with the Rev. W. Leroy Beckes, retired pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and the Rev. Leo Gallina, retired priest of the St. Bernard Catholic Church, co-officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his honor to the Bazzoui Scholarship at UPB, Catholic Charity, any public library or a charity of the donor's choice.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of the Mascho Funeral Home, Inc., Bradford.

Online Condolences can be expressed at www.maschofuneral.com.