Dr. Leo J. de Souza

Retired Orthopedic Surgeon at Hennepin County Medical Center, previously at Park Nicollet, Methodist Hospital, and Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota, passed away March 22, 2016.  He was born in Tanga, Tanzania, but returned to India to complete his education at St. Joseph’s High School, Arpora, Goa, St. Xavier’s College, Bombay, and Grant Medical College, Bombay.  He was trained in surgery in Britain and made a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, in 1961.  He returned to East Africa and was appointed Specialist Surgeon in Lira, Uganda, and was later transferred to Gulu, Uganda, finally ending up in Kampala, Uganda, where he taught at Makerere University, ran the Polio Clinic and was made a Senior Orthopedic Consultant at Mulago Hospital.

After the military coup in Uganda by Idi Amin, Dr. de Souza and his family fled to Minnesota in 1971. His re-certification in orthopedics took him to Toronto, where he was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada.  Upon returning to Minnesota he was made a Fellow of the American Academy of Surgeons.  In November 2013, HCMC presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

He pursued a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing at Hamline University where his work earned the Best Non-Fiction of the Year Award for 2002.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 62 years, Dolly, four children, Louella Anderson (Eric), Mario De Souza (Christine), Lea De Souza and Joanna De Souza, nine grandchildren, Drew, Nicholas (Gretchen) and Matthew (Lindsay) Anderson, Shirin and Luke De Souza, Olivia and Noah Speeter, Billy and Michael Huffman, two great-grandchildren, Julia and Levi, a sister, Magda Gomes, and many loving nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother and infant son.

Interment Gethsemane Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to Good Shepherd.

Rosary at 7:30 pm

Visitation one hour prior to service.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016 05:00 AM - 08:00 AM

Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapel 3888 West Broadway Robbinsdale, MN 55422

Rosary at 7:30 pm

Thursday, March 31, 2016 10:00 AM

The Church of the Good Shepherd 145 Jersey Avenue South Golden Valley,

Visitation one hour prior to service.