Eric Jay Haufrect, MD

Eric Jay Haufrect, MD, passed away after a long course of cancer. He received care at Houston Methodist Hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center from excellent physicians who were his friends and colleagues throughout his career. Both Eric and his wife, Joyce, simultaneously underwent treatment for metastatic cancer at these institutions, caring for one another throughout their illnesses. Eric was born in Houston, Texas, to Hilda and Dr. Fred Haufrect. From an early age, he was deeply engaged in public speaking and debate. At Roberts and Longfellow Elementary Schools, he brought his father’s Time magazine to Friday “show and tell,” often arguing political issues—to the chagrin of his sixth-grade teacher. That same teacher would later parade him at conferences to deliver didactic talks on physiology, anatomy, and even the raising of silkworms. He attended Bellaire High School, where he was a star student and debater. With his baritone voice, he read the morning public address announcements from the principal’s office for two years—beginning, in 1964–65, with the Lord’s Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance—allowing him to skip homeroom activities. In his senior year, he placed third in the state UIL debate tournament and received the Outstanding Debate Award from Northwestern University, which offered him a scholarship in speech. Committed to a career in medicine, however, he chose to attend Case Western Reserve University, his father’s alma mater, as a pre-medical student. He later transferred to the University of Texas to be closer to his family while his mother was undergoing cancer treatment. He graduated magna cum laude in just three years and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, as well as the pre-med honor society. At UT, he met the love of his life, Joyce Susan Miller. They married upon his graduation and moved to Houston, where he attended medical school at Baylor College of Medicine. Upon graduation, he was voted Outstanding Student in Obstetrics and Gynecology by the faculty—a distinction he especially appreciated as it came with a $150 cash award. He completed his internship and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine. Following in his father’s footsteps, Eric began his OB/GYN practice at Methodist Hospital in 1977, joining Drs. James Friedman and Morton Adels. He cared for patients across multiple generations of families. At Methodist, he was elected Deputy Chair of the OB/GYN Department, a position he held for 18 years, and later served as Vice Chair under five department chairs, including Drs. Raymond Kaufman and Alan Kaplan, who were his mentors, colleagues, and friends. He was honored to serve as President of the Medical Staff (Chief of Staff) at Houston Methodist Hospital. He also received the John Overstreet Award for lifetime achievement, the institution’s highest honor for clinical and academic excellence, as well as service to the hospital, its physicians, and its patients. Eric was a Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at both Houston Methodist Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College. He also served as a professor at the Houston Methodist Research Institute, where he was a member of the board and promotions committee. As a volunteer faculty member at Ben Taub General Hospital, he dedicated one day each month for 35 years to teaching residents in pelvic and reconstructive surgery. In recognition of his commitment, he was named OB/GYN Voluntary Faculty of the Year at Baylor College of Medicine for 12 consecutive years. Even in retirement, he remained deeply engaged at Houston Methodist Hospital, serving for seven years on the Bylaws and Rules Committee and on peer review committees across multiple specialties. He was repeatedly asked by medical staff leadership to continue in these important roles. Eric served on numerous boards, including the Houston Methodist Hospital Board, the Harris County Medical Society (where he chaired the Council of Chiefs of Staff and the Board of Ethics), the Houston Symphony, and The Immunization Partnership. His greatest pride was his family. Joyce, his wife of 57 years, was his rock. Together, they raised their two sons, Brian and Mark. In retirement, Eric and Joyce took immense joy in the accomplishments of their sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren. Eric and his family shared a lifelong love of music and the arts. As a youth, he studied piano, violin, and clarinet under principals of the Houston Symphony, Jeffrey Lerner and Paul Tucci. His father’s cousin, Sergiu Comissiona, served as conductor of the Symphony. Eric performed with the All-City Youth Orchestra—though he would often joke that he lacked real talent. Nevertheless, he and Joyce remained devoted patrons of classical music throughout their lives. He later served on the board of the Houston Symphony and the Center for Performing Arts Medicine at Houston Methodist Hospital. Eric took up golf at age 65 and proudly maintained that he never broke 100—nor came close to a hole-in-one. In retirement, he embraced the outdoors with lifelong friends and remained intellectually engaged through a monthly nonfiction book club and a weekly lunch group. Thanks to online streaming, he continued to attend religious services, symphonies, and even hospital committee meetings. He was preceded in death by his mother, Hilda Haufrect; his father, Dr. Fred Haufrect; his stepmother, Dr. Eva Marie Pfeiffer Haufrect; and his brother, Alan Haufrect. He is survived by his wife, Joyce; his son, Brian, Brian’s wife, Kim, and their sons, William Frederick and Henry Arthur; his son, Mark, Mark's wife, Dana, and his son, Noah; his brother, Dale Haufrect, MD, along with his sons, Adam and Ian; and Alan Haufrect’s daughter, Sarah. Eric would also want to acknowledge the exceptional medical team who cared for him throughout his illness, including physicians at Houston Methodist Hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center. A private family graveside service was held on Friday, May 8, 2026. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Eric’s memory may be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center, https://gifts.mdanderson.org, the Center for Performing Arts Medicine at Houston Methodist Hospital, https://givingforms.houstonmethodist.org/GeneralGivingForm, or a charity of one’s choice.

Eric Jay Haufrect, MD

June 19, 1947 - May 5, 2026