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Edgardo Pamintuan Ragaza

Sir Edgardo “Ding or Ed” Pamintuan Ragaza, M.D., KGCR passed away on Jan. 5, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. He spent his life helping people, whether with his hands and mind as a cardiologist or with his heart and soul as a leader in community cultural groups and civic organizations in Connecticut.

Ding Ragaza was born Aug. 21, 1939, in Cebu Province, Philippines to Regino Plana Ragaza and Francisca Dizon Pamintuan Ragaza. He graduated with honors from Arellano High School, Manila, in 1956. He attended Colegio San Juan de Letran, Intramuros, Manila, before obtaining his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1963 from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila.

Ed immigrated to the United States in 1965 to answer the need for more medical professionals in the U.S. at the time. He found his way to Connecticut and performed his postgraduate medical training at the Hospital of St. Raphael, affiliated with the Yale School of Medicine and Hartford Hospital. During his medical training in Connecticut, Ed met his future wife, Aleflor “Ale” Gamo, M.D. Ed and Ale were married in a fairy tale wedding at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City on Sept. 7, 1968. The two young physicians settled in New Haven County to begin their lives as healers, and they built a family that eventually included four sons, working and sacrificing together to provide the best opportunities for their children.

Ed practiced invasive cardiology for nearly 50 years. Throughout his entire medical career, he continued to stay current regarding the latest cardiac catheterization techniques and procedures. He taught these techniques to the next generation of cardiologists at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven, a community teaching hospital that opened one of the first cardiac catheterization labs and cardiac care units in the U.S. He helped build and grow two premier cardiology practice groups in the New Haven area. In addition to his practice, Dr. Ragaza was an academic scholar, authoring multiple papers early in his career which were published in peer-reviewed medical journals. One publication was a paper on open-heart surgery that was cited as a reference in the wrongful death lawsuit of Neil Armstrong, helping to win the case for the Armstrong estate.

Ding was actively involved in the Filipino and Filipino-American communities in Connecticut and was instrumental in building and nurturing these networks throughout the years. Recognizing the struggles an immigrant can face in landing on two feet, he eventually co-founded four community associations to foster connections between those with a shared heritage of his motherland. These include the Philippine-American Association of Connecticut (PAAC) and the Connecticut Association of Philippine Physicians (CAPP). The growing number of Filipinos and Filipino Americans in Connecticut now enjoy a strong and coherent community due in part to the pioneering civic work and leadership of Edgardo P. Ragaza, M.D.

Ding was also a highly decorated officer of the Order of the Knights of Rizal, a Philippine civic organization dedicated to honoring and upholding the ideals of Philippine national hero, José Rizal, and whose awards and titles are officially recognized by the Republic of the Philippines. His local leadership as Commander of the New Haven Chapter earned him the rank of Knight Grand Officer of Rizal. In January 2023, Sir Ding Ragaza, M.D., KGCR, was awarded the highest rank of Knight Grand Cross of Rizal (KGCR).

Ed was a big fan of UConn basketball. He loved boxing; all the big fights were appointment TV for him, especially any Manny Pacquiao bout. He was a voracious reader – he read the morning newspapers every day and consumed numerous books on a wide range of subjects, most notably history, political science, and biographies.

Ding Ragaza is survived by his wife, Aleflor Gamo Ragaza; four sons and four daughters-in-law, Eric (Laarni), Todd (Lisa), David (Aureen Almario), and Mark (Tania); six grandchildren, Jacob, Lucas, Matthew, Daniel, Miles, and Juliana; and five siblings, Edmundo, Antonio, Eleanor, Evelina, and Enrico. He was preceded in death by siblings Ernulfo and Emelina.

For all his accomplishments and the American Dream that Ed lived, he will be most remembered by all as a man of utmost decency with a huge heart – a loving father to his four sons, a cherished lolo to his six grandchildren, a devoted husband to his wife, a supportive brother to his siblings, and a charitable friend to all.

Our father was loving, kind, and caring. He was gracious and honorable. He made us all laugh with his smart, silly, surreal sense of humor. He was a man of principle, a man of integrity and honesty.

He will be sorely missed.

We love you, Dad, always.

Visiting hours were on Jan. 19 at the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Jan. 20 in St. John Bosco Parish at St. Mary Church, 731 Main Street, Branford. Burial followed in St. Agnes Cemetery, Branford. For directions and an online memorial, see www.wsclancy.com. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice in Edgardo’s name.