Abdussamed Samadi, Surgeon And Thoroughbred Owner, 84
DGH
Abdussamed Samadi, a retired general surgeon and Maryland thoroughbred
horse owner and breeder, died February 5, 2005, at his home at Turkeli
Farms on the Patuxent River in Hollywood, Maryland, having died of
complications of a stroke, at the age of 84.
Dr. Samadi helped to modernize surgery at St. Mary's Hospital in
Leonardtown, Maryland, where he worked for 42 years. He served as chief
of the surgery department and chief of the medical staff and
participated on almost all hospital staff committees. He retired in
2000.
In 1965, he bought a 120-acre farm on the Patuxent River. At first, he
operated Turkeli Farms as a Hereford cattle farm. In the 1970s, he
bought his first two thoroughbred racehorses and established Turkeli
Farms as a thoroughbred breeding and racing enterprise.
Over the next 25 years, he and his son expanded the operation to
include more than 50 horses. Among the many winners bred by Dr. Samadi
were Tayfun and Tayfun's stakes-winning son, Kayacan.
Dr. Samadi was born in Istanbul, Turkey, where he graduated in 1941
from St. Joseph's College. He received his medical degree in 1947 from
the University of Istanbul.
He came to the United States and completed a rotating internship at
Alexandria [Virginia] Hospital in 1951. He transferred to George
Washington University Hospital [Washington DC] for his residency.
In 1953, he started a thoracic surgery residence in the George
Washington University program at Glenn Dale sanitarium in Maryland.
After completing his thoracic training in 1955, he returned to Turkey
for about three years.
In 1958, Dr. Samadi moved to St. Mary's County to cover the practice of
a colleague from GWU Hospital. He then started his own practice at St.
Mary's Hospital.
Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Jane Samadi of Hollywood; four
children, Dilara Constantine of East Amherst, New York, Derya Samadi of
Washington DC and Leyla Wilson and Ali Samadi, both of Hollywood; a
sister; and six grandchildren.
Washington Post