Anselmo Ricardo Pineda

Anselmo was born on April 3, 1923 and passed away on December 18, 2020. Anselmo was a resident of Huntington Beach.

Dr. Anselmo Pineda passed away on December 18, 2020 in Garden Grove, California. He was born in Chincha Alta, Peru. He was the first of six children born to his parents: Anselmo Vicente Pineda and Juana Munayco Pineda.

Anselmo Pineda graduated from San Marcos University School of Medicine in Lima, Peru in 1951. He then worked as a pathologist at the Lepra Institute in Lima, Peru. He was also a physician of the Peruvian Airforce.

In 1954 he immigrated to The United Sates and completed his internship at the Augustana Hospital in Chicago. He obtained residency training in Neurosurgery at the University of Chicago and then continued his training as chief resident at The University of Texas in Galveston, Texas. He achieved certification with the Board of Neurosurgery in 1961. He also obtained a Masters of Neurophysiology at Northwestern University in Chicago Illinois.

In 1962 Dr. Pineda moved California to work at The Veterans Administration Hospital in Long Beach California. At that time, he also became a member of the Brain Research Institute under the leadership of Professor Dr. Douglas French, a well know neurosurgeon and neurophysiologist. Dr. Pineda was Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at University of California in Los Angeles. He also taught Neuroanatomy pro bono at UCLA for numerous years.

In 1987 he founded the Peruvian American Neurosurgical Foundation and as chair of that foundation he was instrumental in promoting numerous workshops and scholarships for young Peruvian neurosurgeons. Dr. Pineda was elected Honorary member of the Peruvian Society of Neurosurgery. He was recognized by the Peruvian government with the Medal of Honor de Paz Soldan and he also was awarded the prestigious Humanitarian Award from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons in 2014. Dr. Pineda also served as the President of the Peruvian American Medical Society and President of the Association of Peruvian Institutions in the United States of America and Canada.

Anselmo Pineda was a writer having authored of over fifty scientific publications between 1950 and 1982. He was also a gifted artist sketching portraits of famous persons and of his family.

Everyone who knew Dr. Anselmo Pineda recognized his passion for medicine and the human spirit. He will be remembered for his dedication to medicine and to his patients. He is survived by his spouse, four adult children, five grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

In his honor donations may be sent to the John Douglas French Alzheimer's Foundation: 1191 Brookmere Road Pasadena CA 91105; JDFAF.org.