Dr. Arif Toor, retired physician, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully at age 87 on December 26th, 2022 after a nearly two-year struggle with a cardiac arrest related brain injury.

Arif was born in the village of Karmabad, Pakistan (pre-partition India) in 1935. His father, Akbar Ali, served as a government agricultural officer. Arif's mother, Zohra Begum, came from a family of writers, poets, and educators. She herself was a self-taught writer of short stories and poetry. He inherited a life-long interest in Urdu poetry from his mother and maternal uncles. After his father's death in 1955, the family moved to the city of Lahore where Arif gained admission to King Edward Medical College (KE).

While attending medical school, he met his future wife Nasim. They married in April of 1962, shortly after graduating. Over the next ten years, Arif served as a medical officer and superintendent in health services in various cities throughout Pakistan. Nasim and Arif worked together in rural and urban areas alike, providing care for patients despite limited local resources. During these years, the Toor family grew with the birth of their four children: Aniqa, Arifa, Aamir, and Atif.

In 1972, Arif and Nasim sought opportunities abroad. The United States had just opened its immigration doors to a large number of urban professionals from South Asia—particularly physicians. In June of 1974, the family arrived in New York where they were greeted by close friends who had also recently emigrated. Arif was accepted into a residency program in the Department of Medicine at New Britain General Hospital in central Connecticut. The family began building a life in the U.S., enrolling their children in local schools, developing new friendships, and reconnecting with their close-knit group of medical school friends who had also settled in the area.

He and Nasim purchased a home in New Britain and established a family medical practice together there. The next several years were focused on managing their medical practice and raising their children. Over the years, they came to embrace American traditions like celebrating Thanksgiving, road trips in the family station wagon, and civic engagement. In 1980, the family moved from New Britain to Middletown, Connecticut. Their new home became a hub for visiting relatives and social gatherings where Arif would cook up elaborate Pakistani meals for friends and family.

While embracing life in America, Arif's ties to his home country remained strong with annual trips to Lahore to visit family. In 1980, he became active in his medical school's alumni association (KEMCAANA) and created a scholarship program providing top KE medical graduates with residency opportunities at New Britain General Hospital. Upon completing the program, the graduates would return to Pakistan to apply their newly gained skills. The program was so successful that several other institutions in the U.S. went on to host KE graduates. Arif spent countless hours volunteering his time in building the program, fundraising, mentoring, and housing the residents. Since its inception, more than 120 Pakistani physicians have benefited from the program.

He served as president of the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America from 1989–1990, expanding the organization's reach and programming during his tenure. His efforts included the advancement of an initiative to develop health clinics in rural areas of Pakistan. He provided his time unsparingly to his community and served as a role model to many young Pakistani physicians living in the U.S. and in Pakistan.

In 1989, cricketeer and philanthropist Imran Khan sought Arif's advice on the development of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Lahore which provides cancer treatment to patients irrespective of their ability to pay. Mr. Khan went on to be elected Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2018 and expressed his gratitude to Arif for his unwavering encouragement and initial guidance in the development of the hospital in various public remarks.

Arif served as Medical Director of Medicare in Connecticut from 1991–2000, developing best practices and protocols for a variety of medical conditions. From 2000 to 2013, he pursued several entrepreneurial ventures spearheading the creation of innovative technologies in electronic medical records for hospitals and healthcare practices. While Arif's work occupied much of his time, he and Nasim found opportunities to travel and see friends and family. They also enjoyed time with their granddaughters who visited regularly from New Hampshire. Nasim retired from her practice in 2010 while Arif continued to consult with an electronic medical records start-up until his retirement in 2013.

During his retirement years, Arif enjoyed honing his culinary skills— expanding his repertoire of Pakistani dishes to the delight of family and friends alike. Leaning into their role as doting grandparents, Arif and Nasim sold their home in Connecticut and moved to Hanover, New Hampshire to actively participate in the lives of their growing granddaughters. They continued to enjoy traveling and spending winters in Hilton Head, South Carolina where Arif gardened, bicycled, and took walks with Nasim. As a family elder, he provided guidance, medical advice, and support to his relatives around the world.

While Arif's professional, academic, and philanthropic achievements were numerous, he will always be most noted for his warm and caring nature. Treating each person—whether a lifelong friend or someone whom he just met—with respect, kindness, and an open heart was his way.

Arif is lovingly remembered by his wife Nasim; his three surviving children Arifa, Aamir, and Atif; sons-in-law John Trummel and Aamir Khandwala; granddaughters Leila and Livy Trummel; brother Tariq Toor; sister Talat Ahmed; extended family members, friends, colleagues, and countless individuals touched by his generous spirit.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Imran Khan Cancer Appeal Inc., a cause that Arif supported since its inception. Your donation will be utilized to support the treatment of needy cancer patients receiving treatment at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital: https://shaukatkhanum.org.pk/donations-from-usa/#online .