Luis German Valdés Larralde, MD was a Cuban-American surgeon.
Biography
Early life
Son of German Valdés, MD, a prominent dentist, physician and landowner in Yaguajay his mother was Josefa Larralde, daughter of another prominent Yaguajay citizen Don Marcos Larralde. As a boy, Luis Herman Valdés discovered the . Athletic, he was known for his swan dive. Educated in the Jesuit tradition at Belen he graduated in 1939 at the age of 16, began medical school and graduated from University of Havana with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1946. He attended Harvard Universitysurgical pathology fellowship for one year at Harvard University Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and Free Hospital for Women, Boston Massachusetts, 1951-52, sponsored by the US State Department. He was a student of Benjamin Castleman whom he greatly admired. He then returned to Cuba. In 1961, Dr. Valdes left Cuba permanently and became a political refugee in the US because of professional and personal harassment and persecution by the Communist Revolution of Fidel Castro. He immigrated to the United States found work as a Pathologist at a Veterans Affairs hospital and repeated his surgical residency at Vanderbilt University. He continued his surgical career in Houston, Texas attaining Chief of Staff of Memorial-Herman Southeast hospital, retiring at the age of 73.
Marriage and children
He married Thusnelda Mencio Valdés, PhD and had 4 children in a marriage that lasted over 50 years.
Software engineer, nationally and internationally known expert on Electronic Health Records, Psychiatrist, .
Chairman of the Health Ministry at St. Augustine Church
Organized a Charity Bread Distribution Volunteer program with St. Augustine and other parishes
Worked with the CHIPS program sponsored by the Retired Physicians’ Organization
Volunteer work at Medical Bridges. Medical Bridges, Inc. sends donated, usable hospital, medical and dental office equipment to 60 nations in the world.
Death and afterward
Cause of death: multiple from dementia, diabetes, and heart disease. Surrounded by family at Houston Hospice.
Philosophical and political views
He was very fond of stories, telling them, had many, and was very entertaining to talk with. The Society of Jesus and the Agrupación_Católica_Universitaria had a profound effect on his life. He dedicated his life in service to others and was a practicing Catholic. The Cuban revolution changed him forever. He was politically conservative.
Honours and awards
1990 Memorial Herman Hospital Recognition of Service Award
2000 Target Hunger Volunteer Trophy
2000 Ripley House Volunteer Recognition
2002 “Cuban Ambassador” Awards from Casa Cuba, a Cuban-American organization that recognizes each year an outstanding Cuban-American for his or her professional and community service as an exemplary representative of the *Cuban-American community.
2004 Retired Physician of the year awarded by the Harris County Retired Physicians Organization.
2010 Lifetime Service Award given by the Medical Bridges organization of Houston, Texas.
