Dr. Munir Jibrail Katul

Dr. Munir J. Katul

August 28, 1937 - April 7, 2025

Dr. Munir J. Katul, 87, of Eugene, Oregon, passed away peacefully on April 7, 2025.  Born in the German Hospital in Jerusalem, Palestine, on August 28, 1937, the youngest of three sons born to Jibrail and Alice Katul. His eldest brother Sami, died from whooping cough at age 2 before Munir was born, and his brother George died in Beirut in 2003.

Forced to flee his beloved Jerusalem home in 1947 during the Palestinian exodus, Munir and his family relocated to Beirut, Lebanon to escape the turmoil and to be closer to family. Despite this upheaval, he excelled academically at the International College and later attended the American University of Beirut, where he began his medical education.

Munir completed his medical training in the United States, with a residency in general surgery at MetroHealth in Cleveland, Ohio, and specialized urology training at the University of Rochester in New York. It was in Rochester where he met his beloved wife, Gail, an RN at the university hospital. They married in 1964 and had three daughters: Randa, Nadia, and Sonia.

After briefly returning to Lebanon in 1967, Munir chose to build his life in the United States. The family settled in Oregon in 1969, first in Klamath Falls and then in Eugene in 1971, where Munir established his urology practice in Springfield, becoming the city's first urologist.

Throughout his career, Munir was deeply involved in the medical community, serving twice as Chief of Staff at McKenzie Willamette Hospital and as president of the Lane County Medical Society. After retiring in 1997 following a heart attack, he devoted himself to community service, chairing both the Eugene Police Commission and the Police Civilian Review Board, and serving on the boards of Sponsors, ShelterCare, and the Eugene Library.

Munir leveraged his privilege to advocate for those without a voice, championing causes at local, national, and international levels. He and Gail moved to Cascade Manor in 2014, where he continued to be an engaged community member. His ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and his loyalty, compassion, and empathy encouraged others to speak openly. After Gail died he relied on his family and Cascade Manor residents and staff, whose love and support provided him with the community he had sought throughout his life. His family is forever grateful for the patience, understanding, and care shown to him by the Cascade Manor community as well as his dear friends throughout Lane County. Special thanks to the Pete Moore Hospice House staff for their care of our family and Munir in the last hours of his life. 

Munir was preceded in death by his wife Gail in 2018 and is survived by his daughters Randa Tang, Nadia Sampson (Eric), and Sonia Borris (Josh), and six grandchildren, Jordan Tang (Sarah), Isabelle Tang, Jack Borris, Joe Borris, Lulu Borris, and Sofie Sampson. He is also survived by his nephew Gabriel Katul, his niece Nicole Katul and his nephew Mounir Katul as well as cousins spread across the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

Munir often expressed wonder at how his journey led him from Jerusalem to Eugene. His life embodied resilience, service, and devotion to family. A memorial service will be held at Cascade Manor on Sunday, April 27 at 1pm.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mercy Corp https://www.mercycorps.org/where-we-work/palestine-west-bank-gaza or https://www.mercycorps.org/where-we-work/lebanon.

*Note: If you are planning to attend the service, please note that the Eugene Marathon is occurring that day, so plan your travel accordingly.