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BORN
1942
DIED
2022
Gerardo Heiss Obituary
Dr. Gerardo Heiss passed away June 12, 2022, after a brief illness.
Gerardo was born in Yugoslavia on May 24, 1942, the son of Karl and Marie Heiss. They immigrated to Argentina and then to Chile, where Gerardo earned a medical degree from the University of Chile, at Santiago, in 1968. He received a master's degree in social medicine from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1973, and completed a doctoral degree in epidemiology at the UNC School of Public Health in 1976, where he taught and conducted international studies on epidemics that affect all of us.
Gerardo was too modest to list his accolades, but among them he was a Kenan Distinguished Professor. He wrote hundreds of papers on cardiovascular diseases and his legacy to help improve the lives of others is world renowned.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Jo Eaddy Heiss. Also surviving are his stepchildren, Michael C. Maready, of São Paulo, Brazil, and Catherine Maready and her fiancé, Kevin L. Nichols, of Southern Pines; a cat affectionally named Trouble; his sister, Ingrid H. Bennewitz, of Germany; his nephews, Jan and Jorge Niklaus; his grandchild, Michael W. Maready and wife, Samantha; and his only great-grandchild, Chloe Mae, of St. Louis.
His gentle spirit and selflessness will be remembered by all who knew him.
Those wishing to honor Dr. Heiss' life and work may contribute to Doctors Without Borders in his honor, https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org
A memorial service will be held at the Gillings School of Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill at a later date.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Gerardo Heiss
1 Entry
Suzanne Simpson
July 6, 2022
I worked with Dr. Gerardo Heiss on the ARIC Study. He was a joy to work with and I always enjoyed his visits to Winston-Salem, NC, when he would come up to Wake Forest University Health Sciences for meetings. He will be missed and always thought of.
Suzanne Simpson
Grants Administrator
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, NC
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