The Texas Heart Institute, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, and their professional staffs suffered a great loss with the death of Carlos de Castro on 23 January 2007, after a long battle with cancer. After retirement from a 20-year career in the United States Army Medical Corps, Carlos became a member of the Texas Heart Institute and St. Luke's staffs, a member and colleague in my professional practice group, and the director of St. Luke's non-invasive laboratory. He is best remembered for his strong work ethic and responsibility to his patients, his enjoyment of teaching, his devotion to family, his ever-present sense of humor (manifested by a contagious laugh), and his keen knowledge of history.
Carlos was born on 11 January 1930, in New York City, of Puerto Rican heritage. He was educated at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and he earned his MD degree in 1955 from the University of Puerto Rico, where he was selected for membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He served his internship at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York City and entered the U.S. Army in 1956. He served his residency in internal medicine at Brooke General Hospital, San Antonio, Texas, where he married his wife, Betti, and served his fellowship in cardiology at Walter Reed General Hospital, Washington, D.C. His Army duties took him to Korea, where he served in the Medical Department, 24th Infantry Division; to Walson Army Hospital, Fort Dix, New Jersey; to the U.S. Army Hospital, Wurzburg, Germany; and to Gorgas Hospital, Canal Zone. At the last 2 installations, he served as internist and as Chief of the Department of Medicine. He served as the Assistant Chief and then as Chief of Cardiology at Walter Reed GeneralHospital, until his retirement from the Army in 1976 at the rank of full Colonel. His distinguished Army service was recognized by conferral of the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit.
With full knowledge of his professional talent, I recruited Carlos, after his retirement from the Army, to be an associate in my professional practice group and a member of the professional staffs of St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital and the Texas Heart Institute. Carlos was a skilled clinician and possessed a keen understanding of congenital heart disease. Carlos held academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine and, later, as Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
Carlos enjoyed tennis, dancing, and a desire to see as much of the world as possible. Upon his retirement in 1995, he and Betti embarked upon a decade of travels that took them to all corners of the globe and all 7 continents. Carlos was a great dancer, and he lived life as he danced—with grace and élan. To see Carlos and Betti dance together was to witness the joyful and loving partnership that they shared.
Carlos lost his fight with cancer at Duke Medical Center, where his son, Carlos III, is a staff hematologist and oncologist. He was laid to rest in San Juan, Puerto Rico, beside his father—a physician, politician, and former mayor of San Juan—in an old and historic cemetery overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, as befits a world traveler.
Carlos is survived by his wife of 47 years, Beatrice (Betti); their children, Lisa, Carlos III, and José; 4 grandchildren; and his 2 siblings, Providencia and Adolfo. Carlos will be greatly missed by his loving family, by his associates, and by members of the staffs of the Texas Heart Institute and St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital. To Carlos, we say “adios”—we shall miss you.
Robert J. Hall, MD
Retired Cardiology Training Program Director, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital and Texas Heart Institute; Retired Editor-in-Chief, Texas Heart Institute Journal; Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine; Houston
Fig. Carlos Manuel de Castro, Jr., MD