NUWAYSER, ELIE S., 94, of Wellesley.
Elie S. Nuwayser, devoted husband, father, grandfather, scientist, inventor, writer, and entrepreneur, passed away on July 16, 2025 at the age of 94, with his loving family at his side.
Elie was born on August 30, 1930, in Haifa, Palestine, to Sami A. Nwaisser and Rasha Haddad Nwaisser. The fourth of five children, he attended the Friends School in Ramallah, and in 1947 moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where he earned his BS in pharmacy from the American University of Beirut. His early career took him to Baghdad, where he managed stores and equipment for a construction firm building bridges across the Tigris River.
In 1959, Elie moved to the United States to marry the love of his life, Ruth Anne Kurani. Elie and Ruth Anne welcomed their first son, Sami, in 1960, and Elie proudly became a U.S. citizen in 1962. He earned his Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond in 1964.
The family lived in Pluckemin, New Jersey, then moved to Peabody, Massachusetts, in 1964. His second and third children, Peter and Christine, were born during this time, and the family eventually settled in Wellesley, Massachusetts in 1971.
Over the years, Elie worked at companies including Monsanto and Abcor, rising to Vice President and General Manager of the Biomedical Division at Abcor. In 1980, he founded his own company, Biotek, in Woburn, Massachusetts, which he led for more than two decades as a pioneer in drug delivery systems. A prolific researcher and writer, Elie conducted and published influential research, held numerous patents, and undertook contract work for the government. He presented his research around the globe as an active member of the Controlled Release Society and even addressed a group at the United Nations.
Elie officially retired around 2006, though he never truly stopped working. He continued to follow developments in medicine, technology, and business with keen interest, and to share his love of classical music, opera, film, food, and wine with his family and friends. All his life, Elie was an early adopter of technology, from the first IBM home computer and graphics cards to the latest iPhones and Apple Watches, and seized opportunities to beta-test business and medical software.
Elie is survived by his cherished wife of 66 years, Ruth Anne; his beloved children, Sami Nuwayser and his wife Cristina of Waltenschwil, Switzerland; Peter Nuwayser and his wife Elizabeth of Brooklyn, New York; and Christine Nuwayser Davis and her husband Bruce of Arlington, Massachusetts. He was the proud grandfather of Zachary, Katherine Baines, and Pascal. Elie is also survived by his loving brother and sister-in-law Fuad and Sondra Nuwaysir of Venice, Florida, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends around the world.
Elie is preceded in death by his parents and his three older sisters, Mary (Najib) Jamal, Georgette (Norman) Fox, and Rosette Nuwayser.
Elie’s life was defined by his unwavering curiosity and determination. As a child, he took to heart a quotation from George Washington Carver posted on the wall of his classroom: "Start where you are with what you have. Make something of it and never be satisfied." He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
The family will receive visitors on Monday, July 21, 4pm-7pm, at George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington Street in Wellesley. The funeral Mass will be Tuesday, July 22, at 11am at St. Paul Church, 502 Washington Street in Wellesley.