The father of Heath and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar died this week in Salisbury, Maryland, at 80. He passed away on Monday at Peninsula Regional Medical Center.
The cause was not mentioned, though local media said it was not related to COVID-19.
Azar was a beloved figure in the Eastern Shore town, a longtime ophthalmologist who treated thousands of local patients from Cambridge to Ocean City at his Azar Eye Institute.
He was known for being generous with his services, sometimes writing the word “family” on bills so his staffers would know to cut or even eliminate charges.
An obituary from Salisbury’s Holloway Funeral Home shared with Secrets said, “Over the course of 40 years, he founded both the Peninsula Eye Center and the Azar Eye Institute. He introduced many new and innovative eye surgical techniques to the Salisbury area. He was known for his devotion to his patients, never denying care because of a patient’s inability to pay, and often making house calls in the evening, even performing eye surgery on a patient in a rocking chair on his porch on Smith Island.”
His son, Alex Azar grew up in the Salisbury area, attending Parkside High School.
A spokesperson for Secretary Azar told Secrets, “At this time, the Azar family is asking for privacy for themselves and appreciates any prayers that may be offered as they mourn the loss of Dr. Azar.”
