Dr. Mariano Miguel Echemendia Garcia passed away on Wednesday, May 27, 2015 at the age of 94. Mariano led a life defined by love for family, commitment to helping others, adherence to a high moral standard, and devotion to faith.
Born on April 3, 1921 in Sancti-Spiritus, Cuba he grew up with a large and close family and tight group of friends with whom he remained close to until his death. He attended and graduated from The University of Havana Medical School in January 1945 with honors and distinction. After medical school he was fortunate to have the opportunity to continue his specialty training at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, where he met his wife Marie Teresa Sullivan. Together, they lived a life full of love, joy and service to others.
Mariano and Marie lived and raised their three children in his hometown of Sancti-Spiritus, Cuba for 14 years where he proudly served as the President of the Knights of Columbus and developed a thriving medical practice as an Obstetrician and Gynecologist. While in Cuba, Mariano gained a reputation for his cross-disciplinary collaboration and practice of medicine. Together with a colleague in hematology, he successfully performed the country's first blood transfusion on an infant. In 1960 he relocated his family and medical practice to Atlanta, Georgia where he practiced until his retirement in 1993 at the age of 72.
After retirement, he continued to keep in close contact with the medical staff and his professional colleagues at St. Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta. One of his proudest professional and personal accomplishments was being awarded the the medal of Ramirez Olivella in Miami, Florida for his accomplishments and contributions to the practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology among Cuban physicians in exile in the United States. Mariano was known for his devotion to family, mischievous personality, appreciation of classical Cuban piano music and commitment to the Catholic Community.
As an immigrant, he loved and appreciated America and felt it was a privilege to participate in and contribute to its civic life. Mariano was also an avid reader of scientific journals and medical literature and lived a life of continuing education. For more than fifty years he was an enthusiastic baseball fan and faithfully followed the Atlanta Braves. He was a devoted and loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and most recently great-grandfather who will forever be in our memory. It was an honor to know him and be loved by him. |