Henry G. Giragos M.D.

Giragos M.D., Henry G. (February 7, 1935 August 19, 2013) Dr. Henry G. Giragos of Munster, Indiana, went to be with the Lord on Monday, August 19, 2013. Dr. Giragos is known to his patients and colleagues as "The Praying Physician." Dr. Giragos was born to Armenian parents, Garabed and Bayzar Giragos, in Aleppo, Syria. He was educated in the American school system and was fluent from childhood in Armenian, Arabic, English, and spoke French. Dr. Giragos graduated from the American Univesity of Beirut (AUB) in Beirut, Lebanon, with his Doctorate of Medicine degree with distinction, and was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. At AUB, where he completed his General Surgery Residency, he was mentored by physicians hailing from institutions such as Yale and Harvard. He then came to the United States as a Research Fellow in Hyperbaric Medicine and completed Residencies in Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery at Municipal TB Sanitarium and Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. At Cook County Hospital he worked as an Attending Surgeon while being an Instructor in Surgery at University of Illinois College of Medicine. Dr. Giragos had been in private practice of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery since 1969. In the 1980's he pioneered the Cardiovascular Surgery program at Community Hospital in Munster, IN, with his medical partner, and he headed the Cardiovascular Services Department from 1995 until 2010. It is estimated that he performed approximately 5,000 open-heart surgeries, as well as voluminous other CV operations. Dr. Giragos was Board Certified in Surgery and Thoracic Surgery and held Fellowships in the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the American College of Cardiology. He was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Indiana State Medical Society and Lake County Medical Society. Dr. Giragos accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour in Beirut, Lebanon, at age 19. He was on his way to the beach with friends when he heard the good news of Jesus' love for him, and instead of swimming, he was baptized in the Mediterranean Sea that day. In 1967 he married Jeanette N. Veisbergs in Chicago, with whom he had one daughter, Renee Jeanette Giragos. Dr. Giragos was a most loving husband, father, and son-in-law and was the Godly patriarch of the family. Dr. Giragos was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Kilajy, and mother-in-law Natalie Veisbergs, and is survived by his wife, daughter, sister Janet Dayian of Toronto, brother Dr. John of New Jersey, and numerous beloved nephews and nieces. Dr. Giragos was trained in the art of Arabic calligraphy and as a young man hand-wrote graduating diplomas for Aleppo College. Recently he hand-designed and printed a pamphlet urging his Arabic speaking brothers and sisters to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Doctor's deepest desire was that all people would gain eternal life through Christ. Dr. Giragos was a member of Family Christian Center in Munster, Indiana. First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana held a special place in his heart. He was also a member of the Armenian Evangelical Church in Mount Prospect, Illinois. There will be a Celebration of Life Tribute on Tuesday, August 27, 2013, at 6:00 p.m. at Family Christian Center, 340-West 45th Street, Munster, IN, led by Rev. Stephen K. Munsey, with visitation proceeding from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. On Wednesday, August 28, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. a Memorial Service will be held at Memory Lane Memorial Park Chapel, 6305 West Lincoln Highway (US 30), Crown Point, IN, led by Rev. Munsey, with visitation proceeding from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Dr. Giragos was a lover and philanthropist of classical music, and as such, donations may be made to the Northwest Indiana Symphony Society, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN, in honor of him.