YARMOUTH — Albert A. Shems, M.D., passed away Thursday, July 27, at the age of 91 in the presence of his wife, children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Christiane J. Shems; their son, Ronald A. Shems, Esq., wife, Rep. Maxine Grad, and their children, Sophie, Sam, Noa and Elan, of Moretown, Vt.; and their daughter, Dr. Michele M. Shems, Dr. Peter Then, and their children, Eva, Maximilian and Lenny of Yarmouth. He is also survived by his sisters, Estherina Shems-Schotland, M.D., of Wynnewood, Pa., and Narda Percik of Tel Aviv, Israel.
Albert was first and foremost a doctor. He had a thriving family medicine practice in Lewiston from 1955 until he sold his practice to the Central Maine Medical Center. Dr. Shems continued to practice medicine in various clinics around the state until the age of 88 when he retired. He loved the “family” in family medicine and was well-known in Lewiston and Auburn by multiple generations of the many families he cared for. Dr. Shems took great joy in and was devoted to delivering countless babies and tending to childhood, adult and geriatric ailments — the whole family. He also took pride in training medical residents to practice in rural Maine and lecturing at medical schools. He never stopped making house calls to patients in need day or night. After having sold his practice, he spent much time Down East and in Northern Maine filling in for doctors at rural clinics and working with some of the doctors he trained.
Dr. Shems was born April 5, 1926, in Jerusalem that was then part of the British Mandate. He attended British schools and then the American University in Beirut, Lebanon. He began his training at the American University of Beirut Medical School, but his studies were cut short by Israel’s War of Independence in 1948. He completed medical school at the University of Paris and served his residency in Soissons, France. He met his wife, Christiane, in the operating room of the Soissons hospital where she was training to be a midwife. Christiane also delivered many children after completing her residency in Reims, France. Albert and Christiane were married in Paris on Oct. 13, 1952, and immigrated to the United States in 1955.
Dr. Shems became a proud American citizen in 1957. He had deep roots in and loved the Lewiston-Auburn and Central Maine community. He was a member of the Beth Abraham and Beth Shalom Synagogues and Rotary Club. Albert and Christiane moved to Yarmouth in 2004.
Albert loved to teach and play with his grandchildren, preparing them for bat and bar mitzvahs, challenging them to countless rounds of backgammon, and teaching about language, culture and religion. He loved reading, current events, languages, gardening, and was always happy to share his passion for cooking Middle-Eastern food for his children and grandchildren.
