Rolando L. Gomez M.D. passed away peacefully at his home on December 24th with his family by his side. A long-time resident of Bronxville, N.Y., Rolando, “Rolo” to his friends, was born in Peru on June 21st 1929 to Hermogenes and Maria Julia (née Barbis).
Consistent with his life-long passion for serving others in need, Rolando began his medical studies in his native Peru where he initially attended San Marcos University, South America’s oldest and most revered university. He later continued his studies at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., and at Harvard University in Boston, where he was also a fellow at the renowned Lahey Clinic.
It was in Boston where he met his wife of 50 years – Victoria (“Vicky”) Louise (née Barkes), originally of Mount Vernon, N.Y., whom he married on April 20th 1962 at St. Joseph’s Church in Bronxville.
Shortly after marrying, Rolo and Vicky returned to Peru where he pursued his medical career and where they had their four children. In 1969 the Gomez family returned to New York, initially in Mount Vernon, eventually settling down in Bronxville where Dr. Gomez worked for nearly 30 years, from 1973 to 2002, at Lawrence Hospital, ten years of which he served as Chief of the Surgical Department.
Prior to moving to New York, Dr. Gomez spent a year at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston where he worked with legendary heart transplant specialist Dr. Denton A. Cooley pioneering new techniques in modern medicine. In addition to publishing numerous articles in medical journals, Dr. Gomez developed a number of groundbreaking surgical techniques, which are used today. Rolo was also an accomplished artist developing an extraordinary talent in his retirement yielding countless sketches, paintings and other works. He was also passionate about playing bridge, golf, tennis, among other hobbies, and an avid lover of classical music. Above all else, Rolo’s greatest joy came from spending time with his loving family.
In addition to his wife Vicky, Rolando is survived by his four children – Victoria (Tory Brucato) and her husband Mark, Karina (Rina Verni) and her husband John, Rolando Jr. and his wife Cecilia, and Marlena (Marlena Munoz) and her husband Joaquin, his nine loving grandchildren – Ryan, Trevor, John Jr., Marielle, Paul, Charlie, Ryder, Sage and Teo – and two beloved sisters – Yolanda Chaparro and Haydee Lizaraburru – as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Calling hours at the Fred H. McGrath & Son, Funeral Home between the hours of 6 to 9 pm Thursday and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm Friday. Mass of Christian Burial, St. Joseph’s Church, Bronxville on Saturday, December 29 at 11 am. Internment will follow at The Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Valhalla, N.Y.
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