Born March 10, 1930 in Al-Husun, Jordan to Milad and Hanna Elaimy, Dr. Wadie Elaimy at the age of 90 passed away Thursday April 23, 2020 peacefully at home in his sleep of natural causes. A highly educated man, Wadie graduated from Ramallah Friends High School before receiving his Bachelor of Science degree from Andrews University, completing his formal education with a Ph.D. from UCLA.
As a Doctor of Public Health, Wadie made a big impact on cancer education and prevention serving as the Executive Director for the Louisiana Cancer Consortium and for the Idaho Cancer Coordinating Committee. He also served as Program Director for the National Cancer Institute.
Wadie was the patriarch of his large family and helped many of his family members immigrate to the USA. His brother Foad, sisters, Badiah, Najlah, Basima and his parents Milad and Hanna all settled in the Spokane area where the large extended family continues to thrive.
A unique, outgoing and charismatic individual, Wadie had a zest for life, making an impression on people wherever he went. He loved Middle Eastern music and was an oud player and singer. He lived in diverse places such as Nazareth and Ramallah, Palestine, Beirut, Lebanon and served as camp manager for a British Petroleum expedition unit in various locations in the Persian Gulf. In the United States, he lived in Berrien Springs, MI, Los Angeles, CA, Potomac, MD, Boise, ID and New Orleans, LA. But in the last eighteen years of his life from 2002 to 2020, it was Liberty Lake, Washington he called home. Whether he was golfing, shopping (finding great deals), cooking, listening to his favorite music, or volunteering for Kiwanis Club or going to the Liberty Lake Athletic Club, Wadie lived a long and blessed life, and we are going to miss him greatly.
Wadie is survived by two sons Stephen and David Elaimy and his life partner Kathy Melter. To share memories of Wadie and leave condolences for the family, please visit Wadie's Tribute Wall.