Adel Tawfik

Adel Said Tawfik was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1948, the oldest of three brothers. He went to join his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on August 7, 2020. After immigrating to the USA in 1972, Adel graduated from Rice University with a master’s degree in engineering and worked for 35 years as a distinguished senior engineer with KBR. In addition to his exemplary work, Adel was most known by everyone for his gracious & gentle Christian character.

Since childhood he suffered from serious chronic illnesses. First his valvular heart disease resulting in open-heart surgery in his 30s and another in his 40s. Then Crohn’s disease, requiring decades of medical treatments culminating in an intensive abdominal surgery. Over the last five years he fought an aggressive and rare form of squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus, undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and enduring an extensive surgery. Yet through it all, he faced illness and disease with exceptional faith, courage, and the comforting grace that can only come from trust and faith in Jesus Christ. As he walked through the hallways of MD Anderson, everyone used to ask him about his t-shirt: “The Happiest Cancer Patient: (and on the back) because Jesus is my Savior and Best Friend.”

Music was also a large and important part of Adel’s life. While proficient on several instruments, the qanun was his instrument of choice. There was always an instrument within arms’ reach, and Adel delighted in both performing and composing songs.

Adel is survived by his wife Sara Tawfik; son, Dr. Justin Tawfik; daughter, Sally (John) Kirk; two granddaughters; brothers Atef (Diaa) Nagib, daughter Dr. Nancy (Jeff) Painter and their children, also Dr. Nermin Nagib. Brother Latif (Helen) Nagib and their children Peter, Grace (Joel).

While Adel leaves a remarkable legacy, his persevering faith, loving heart, hopeful spirit, and Christ-like love leads all who knew Adel to a deeper commitment to Jesus Christ and to sharing His saving love with others.