Obituary for Abdul Aziz Hoodbhoy
Aziz Hoodbhoy, Class of 1965, passed away on December 19, 2025. He cherished his time at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and his memories of campus life and Lake Mendota. He talked “fondly” of Wisconsin winters and how his snow shoveling jobs toughened him up, a boy from the warm Pakistani port city of Karachi, nestled on the Arabian Sea. He visited the campus whenever he could in his later years, to stay for a few days and walk by the lake, and he remained lifelong friends with fellow alumni Sam Chell and Hassan (Bill) Gebel. He had hoped to reunite with them one more time on the campus, staying at the Memorial Union building, but it did not come to pass. When he could no longer travel, he was thrilled when his eldest daughter, Tanya, visited his treasured alma mater in 2020 and 2022 and sent him photographs of his old stomping grounds.
Aziz became a well-respected international businessman and pioneer in the seafood export business in Karachi. Though he boasted loudly to anyone who would listen about surviving the Wisconsin winters, he appreciated living most of his adult life in warmer climates, including Karachi, Southern California, and Florida, especially since he loved the ocean. He is survived by his two daughters, Tanya Hoodbhoy and Charmaine Summers. He will be deeply missed.
More Alumni Notes
For David Fein ’89, the formation of his law firm represents more than a professional milestone — it reflects a lifetime shaped by place, perspecti...