Dr. Legaspi Punsalan

1937 - 2023

News story
By Mark Zaborney
Blade Staff Writer

Dr. Legaspi Punsalan, who survived the rigors of World War II in his native Philippines and established himself as an anesthesiologist at Mercy Health St. Charles Hospital in Oregon, died Nov. 2 in Sunrise Senior Living, Basking Ridge, N.J.

Legally he was 85. His birth certificate was destroyed in a courthouse fire during the war. He believed he was a year older.

He had dementia, his son Michael said. He moved from Oregon to New Jersey in 2019, after the death of his wife, Marcia, to be near daughter Elizabeth Hillebrecht.

Dr. Punsalan retired more than 15 years ago from St. Charles, where he'd done the bulk of his practice since the 1970s. He placed providing for his family and saving for his children's education above status and flash.

"He was incredibly studious," Mr. Punsalan said. "I would go through his medical journals he had in his office in the house there was such brilliance to him.

"He was so humble, you wouldn't know. He was the guy who wore Dickies pants," his son said. "He knew his field and knew medicine in general and he liked the idea of giving advice to anyone who asked."

Mrs. Hillebrecht said: 'He always put his family first."

She recalled one of their last conversations when he said unprompted, " 'I had good kids. I'm proud of them.'

"That meant a lot to me," she said.

He was born Oct. 14, likely in 1937, in Tarlac City, Philippines, to Remedios and Pedro Punsalan, the second of what would be six children. He spoke of the poverty, of working from a young age - riding a carabao, or water buffalo, to haul goods and operating a rickshaw. During the war, he ran from Japanese soldiers during the occupation and later sought food scraps from U.S. soldiers.

"He was very patriotic, very proud to be an American," Mr. Punsalan said. "He grew up with a reverence for the United States Army, which liberated his country in October, 1944. He went from absolutely nothing to creating opportunity for his entire family. He was the American dream."

Dr. Punsalan's brother Mac was named after U.S. Army Gen Douglas MacArthur.

Family members realized his potential and sent him to the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines for his undergraduate and medical education.

He came to Toledo in 1964 and met his wife, initially a microbiologist at what is now Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center. They later lived for a time in Pittsburgh before returning to northwest Ohio.

His wife served as his office manager. He was supportive as she, at age 50, resumed her college education, became an English and journalism teacher at Clay High School - and, after enrolling in a weight management program, lost 180 pounds.

He was a student and critic of film and music. He liked action and adventure movies and raised his children on movie musicals. He enjoyed the vocal stylings of Perry Como, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Anne Murray.

He also learned to play bass guitar and performed with music groups at church - St. Thomas Aquinas Church and then St. Clement Church. He also performed at functions of the Filipino Association of Toledo and at wedding receptions.

"He could be very social and be the life of the party, but also was sort of a loner. He was fine going into the office and closing the door," Mrs. Hillebrecht said. "If there was a microphone, he was on it. He'd say, 'No, no, I don't sing,' and grab the microphone. If he could have made a living as an entertainer, he might have done that."

He and the former Marcia Weintraub married Dec. 9, 1966. She died Sept. 8, 2019. Their son John Peter Punsalan died Aug. 14, 2007.

Surviving are his daughters Elizabeth Hillebrecht and Laura Crane; sons Michael Punsalan and Neil Punsalan; brothers Olan Punsalan and Mac Punsalan, and 12 grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Monday at Oregon-Walker Funeral Home, 3500 Navarre Ave., where funeral services will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The family suggests tributes to the Dr. Legaspi and Marcia Punsalan Memorial Scholarship via gofund.me/00bf4559 to help a Clay High School senior with a post-high school education.