Posted on

Floyd County ‘fill-in’ surgeon hangs up his scalpel

  • Dori Myers, administrative assistant at Floyd County Medical Center and Dr. Randolfo De Leon at De Leon’s retirement gathering at Floyd County Medical Center on Monday. (Press photo James Grob.)

  • Dr. Randolfo De Leon gets handshakes and hugs from colleagues at De Leon’s retirement gathering at Floyd County Medical Center on Monday. (Press photo James Grob.)

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Dr. Randolfo De Leon took the long way to get home.

Floyd County Medical Center held a retirement gathering for De Leon on Monday. At age 77, he has worked as a “fill-in” general surgeon in Charles City for the last 10 years. He previously worked as a full-time surgeon in Independence.

“Dr. De Leon has been coming here for over 10 years now, any time our surgeon is on vacation or a conference — or for any coverage need — Dr. De Leon fills in,” said Dori Myers, administrative assistant at Floyd County Medical Center. “We can call and he shows up.”

Myers said she is looking for a replacement for De Leon, who lives in Independence and stays at a hotel here in Charles City when he gets an assignment.

“I have felt like I have a home here,” said De Leon, who said he’s performed too many surgeries to count.

De Leon is originally from Guatemala, and did his medical training in Guatemala City, then studied general surgery in Washington, D.C.

He returned to practice in Guatemala — and survived the 1976 earthquake — before a former colleague and classmate invited him to come practice in Eldora, Iowa. After two years, in enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a general surgeon for six years. He practiced in Illinois and in Maine before coming back to Iowa — first Iowa Falls, then Independence — where he retired 10 years ago.

De Leon and his wife, Rosa Marie, have been married for 54 years.

“It has been a very nice town and very friendly, and we feel like we are home here,” he said.

Attendance at the retirement party Monday was De Leon’s final official act at Floyd County Medical Center.

“He is not just a very skilled surgeon, but he is a very kind and caring human being. and probably the nicest man I know,” Myers said.

Social Share

LATEST NEWS