Angelos Dellaporta
Feb. 8, 1917-March 6, 2014
Atherton, California
Dr. Angelos Dellaporta passed away peacefully at home on March 6, 2014, at the age of 97. He was born February 8, 1917, on the Greek island of Kefalonia.
He attended medical school in Freiburg, Germany; served as a medical intern at the Charite Hosptial in Berlin during World War II; and as a resident at the University of Vienna in Austria. He achieved the highest medical degree available in Europe, that of Doctor Medizine Habilis. After the war he was invited to continue his medical practice and research in the United States.
He married Penelope Metaxas in June of 1954 and together they lived in Buffalo, New York; Vienna, Austria; and San Francisco. When the new Stanford Hospital was built in 1959, they moved down the Peninsula and settled in Atherton, where they brought up their 4 children.
Dr. Dellaporta became known in the medical community for his groundbreaking work in treating glaucoma, retinopathy and macular degeneration. He found great satisfaction in developing simple, yet bold solutions to difficult medical problems.
From 1967 to 1972, he served as Head of the Division of Ophthalmology at Stanford Hospital. He was a member of the Stanford clinical faculty and consultant to the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital, teaching residents and helping grateful patients for many years.
He also published numerous articles on his medical research and the history of ophthalmology over the course of his long career. He enjoyed sharing medical knowledge with colleagues around the globe, while learning more about the culture, art and history of other lands.
Dr. Dellaporta continued seeing patients in private practice into his eighties, until his own failing eyesight made it difficult, and he was proud to be instrumental in founding the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford. He continued learning and teaching through his final days.
He is survived by his devoted wife, Penelope; his four children, Angela Dellaporta, Marina Marguet, Elizabeth Daschbach and Nicolas Dellaporta, and their spouses, John Richards, Mark Daschbach, and Lynn Dellaporta; and by his beloved grandchildren, Alexandra Codina, Sarah and Andrew Daschbach, Michael and Jessica Marguet, and Matthew Dellaporta.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to his caregivers, Margaret, Luisa and Prad, who gave him wonderful, loving care and companionship for many years; and also to the Pathways Hospice team, who were so knowledgeable, kind and compassionate.
We are grateful for all that our father gave in his life: for his contributions to the medical community; for inspiring in us a love of our Greek heritage; and for his unwavering devotion to his family, whom he supported and advised with great integrity. He was a man of honor and generosity.
A private memorial is planned. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Byers Eye Institute at Stanford (stanfordhospital.org/eyeinstitute) or to Pathways Hospice.
