Louis P. Gangarosa Sr.

1929 - 2018

Louis Paul Gangarosa, Sr., DDS, PhD, a tenured professor with 3 appointments in the Dental, Medical, & Graduate Schools at Augusta University (formerly Medical College of Georgia) died November 14, 2018 and entered into rest at age 89.

Dr. Gangarosa, the son of Biaggio & Carmella Bellassai Gangarosa, was born on June 8, 1929 as a native of Rochester, New York. He received a BS with High Distinction from the University of Rochester in 1951 and a DDS from the State University of NY at Buffalo in 1955. He spent 3 years as a general dentist & Captain in the US Air Force and 4 years in private practice. In 1961, Dr. Gangarosa received an MS in Pharmacology from the University of Rochester. He then became a full-time fellow in dental research, obtaining a PhD in Pharmacology at the University of Rochester in 1965. Dr. Gangarosa was appointed assistant professor of Dental Research at Rochester, New York in 1965. He moved to Georgia in 1968 as one of the first associate professors of Oral Biology & Medicine and coordinator of Pharmacology at the School of Dentistry at the Medical College of Georgia where he was promoted to professor in 1972. Dr. Gangarosa conducted research on local drug delivery using iontophoresis, formed the company Healing Through Caring (HTC) and invented a healing mouth rinse, Oralief. He had been awarded numerous grants from National Institutes of Health & industries, authored a text on iontophoresis, and had over 178 publications. He served on the MCG Graduate Program Development Committee, the American Dental Association National Board Pharmacology Test Committee and the Committee for Restructuring of Part II National Boards. He was a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the International Association for Dental Research and the American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics. Education, teaching and research were always his highest priorities. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 1994. He was a member of St. Ignatius of Antioch Church and a Lifetime Master Point player at the local CSRA Bridge Club No. 2 of the American Contract Bridge League.

Dr. Gangarosa is survived by two sons, Michael J. Gangarosa, Sr. of Augusta and Louis P. Gangarosa, Jr. (wife Cinzia Gangarosa) of Santa Rosa, CA and two daughters, Dr. Maria E. Gangarosa Emerson (husband, Roy L. Emerson) of Augusta, and Alyssa C. Gangarosa of Atlanta, GA; two brothers, Dr. Eugene J. Gangarosa of Atlanta and Dr. Frank M. Ganis of Chesterland, OH; and three grandchildren, Michael J. Gangarosa, Jr., Lucy S. Deller, and Blase L. Emerson. He was preceded in death by his wife, Clara Amalfi Gangarosa; his 3 brothers, Ralph Gangarosa, Samuel E. Ganis, & Joseph F. Ganis and his 2 sisters, Theresa Iannone and Josephine Gangarosa.

A Vigil Service & Celebration will be held Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. and the family will receive friends from 6:30 until 8:00 at Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com

The funeral will be held Saturday, November 24, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church with Father Michael Hull officiating. Dr. Gangarosa will later be laid to rest in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester, New York.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation 230 East Ohio Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611, Ph: 888-733-6741, Fax: 866-587-9158, Email: development@pulmonaryfibrosis.org.