Jose Almeida

Jose "Pepin" Almeida, M.D., age 75, of Atlantis, died peacefully in his home on April 16, 2009. He was born in Cuba, the youngest of five siblings, where he lived until completing medical school at La Universidad de la Habana. In 1960, he was recruited and served as the Chief Medical Officer of the Bay of Pigs Invasion. After being released as a political prisoner in December of 1962, he and his wife, Estrella ?Toty? Almeida, came to live in the United States permanently. He finished his residence in psychiatry at The Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas. He thereafter relocated with his family to South Florida, where he opened his practice and assisted thousands of patients throughout the years. Dr. Almeida is survived by his Wife: ?Toty?; his four children: Jose Ignacio ?Pepe? Almeida (Yvette), Marilu Almeida Hunt (Leon), Ileana Maria Almeida Petrovich (Richard), and Jorge Alberto Almeida; and his nine grandchildren: J.J., Michael "Mikey", Stephanie, Alexis, Mariela, Adriana, Joseph, Arden, and Richard ?Junior?. He is additionally survived by his sister ?Conchita? and numerous nephews, nieces, grand-nephews, grand-nieces, great-grand-nephews & nieces, all of whom he loved dearly. With his wife, he taught those around him the strength of love, the comfort in family, the effort to loyalty, the sacrifice for patriotism, the value of pride and the meaning of integrity . . . all . . . with a smile on his face. The family will hold a wake on Sunday, April 19, 2009 from 2:00pm to 10:00pm at Palms West Funeral Home, 110 Business Park Way/State Rd. 7, Royal Palm Beach. The Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 10:30 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 1000 Lantana Rd., Lantana, with interment to follow in Miami.