Pelayo Jesus Correa

Pelayo Jesus Correa, age 98, of Brentwood, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on November 20, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in Sonson, Colombia, to the late Elias Correa and Sara Velez.

Dr. Pelayo Correa has had a long and illustrious research career in the pathology, epidemiology and prevention of cancer. Dr. Correa graduated with an M.D. degree in 1949 from the Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia, and specialized as a pathologist at the University of Emory in Atlanta. He helped found the Universidad del Valle School of Medicine (UVSM), in Cali, Colombia, and established the Pathology Department in that institution.

Dr. Correa was a Visiting Scientist at the US National Cancer Institute from 1970-1973 and joined the faculty of Louisiana State University (LSU) Medical Center in 1974, where he was Professor of Pathology through 2005. In 1996 he was honored as a Boyd Professor, the highest academic rank in the LSU system. In 2005, as a result of the impact of hurricane Katrina, Dr. Correa retired from LSU and joined Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Dr. Correa retired from VUMC in 2015.

Dr. Correa had a long and successful professional career, publishing over 600 articles, receiving many awards and recognitions. In 1962, he established the Cancer Registry in Cali, Colombia, the first and longest running population-based cancer registry in Latin America. He was a coauthor of the “Texto de Patologia”, the first Latin American pathology textbook. In 1974, he was a leader in the development of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Louisiana Tumor Registry in New Orleans, Louisiana. These cancer registries continue to exist and have contributed significantly to the understanding of cancer epidemiology in Louisiana, Latin America and the world.

In recognition of all his work, the Universidad del Valle School of Medicine awarded him the title of Doctor Honoris Causa En Salud, the highest honor awarded by UVSM. In 1992, he was the recipient of the First American Cancer Society Award on Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention. He served on the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Board of Scientific Counselors from 1982–1992. He received a presidential appointment to the National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB), serving from 1992–1998, where he contributed to strategic decisions guiding national cancer research. In 1992, he also served on the Special Panel on Breast Cancer of the President’s Cancer Panel. In 1994, he was inducted as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2012 he was presented the AACR Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship Award, and in 2013 the American Gastroenterological Association Distinguished Achievement Award. Another salient award worth noting was his recent (2025) induction as a Fellow into the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in recognition of his illustrious work defining the histological stages of gastric carcinogenesis through the “Correa Cascade”. This work established the link between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer, which fundamentally advanced the understanding of the pathology, epidemiology, and prevention of this disease.

He will be remembered not only for his global reputation in cancer research, but also for his humble, generous and deep commitment to mentoring and encouraging excellence in all his students and colleagues, in the many lives he touched and careers he helped shape. In addition to his passion for his service to the medical Community, he had an even greater passion for his family who brought him much joy and love.

In addition to his parents, Pelayo was preceded in death by his wife, Rosario Correa; son, Gonzalo Correa; and nine brothers and sisters.

Those left to cherish Pelayo’s memory are his sons, Miguel Correa and Hernan Correa (Desiree); daughter, Ana Fick (John); daughter in law, Lisa Correa; grandchildren, Lyndon, Jason, Zachary, Jessica, Isabella, Victoria, Samantha, and Christina; and two great grandchildren, Lincoln and Colton.

The Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, November 28, 2025, at 11am, at Holy Family Catholic Church. A visitation with family will begin one hour prior to the service. Following the Funeral Mass Pelayo will be interred into the Holy Family Columbarium next to his beloved wife Rosario. After the interment, there will be a celebration of life in the Church’s gathering room.

The care of Pelayo Jesus Correa and his family has been entrusted to the staff of Williamson Memorial Funeral Home.