Dr. Mary Despina Lekas Obituary - The Providence Journal

Mary Despina Lekas, MD, D. Sc., a pioneer successful Rhode Island’s aesculapian community, passed distant connected January 24, 2023 astatine the property of 94. She was the beloved woman of the precocious Harold W. Picozzi. Taking large joyousness successful their beauteous presumption of Narragansett Bay, they were longtime residents of the Narragansett Terrace vicinity of Bullocks Point successful East Providence. Dr. Mary, arsenic she was fondly called by each who knew her, and Harold were joined for 31 years.

A arrogant Greek-American autochthonal of Worcester, Massachusetts, Dr. Mary was the girl of the precocious Spyridon Peter Lekas and Merciny S. (Manoliou) Lekas and the sister of the precocious Theodore P. Lekas. She is survived by galore nieces, nephews and godchildren.

Receiving scores of recognitions and accolades spanning her much than 60-year career, Dr. Mary was a trailblazer for women pursuing the signifier of medicine with distinguished academic, professional, civic and philanthropic accomplishments. A practicing otolaryngologist specializing successful caput and cervix surgery, she was the archetypal pistillate to caput the Otolaryngology Department astatine Rhode Island Hospital, arsenic Surgeon-in-Chief from 1983 until she retired successful 1996. She was besides the archetypal pistillate to beryllium Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology astatine Brown University’s aesculapian school. Dr. Mary was the archetypal pistillate connected the East Coast to go a Fellow successful the Triological Society, the astir prestigious nine of her specialty. In 1980, she was named the archetypal pistillate to beryllium elected President of the New England Otolaryngological Society. In 1992, Dr. Mary was named Rhode Island’s Woman Physician of the Year and was awarded the President’s citation from the Triological Society successful 1993. Honors continued during 1996, the twelvemonth of her retirement, by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Foundation and the American Broncho-Esophagological Association.

Dr. Mary’s world credentials included a Bachelor of Arts grade from Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts successful 1949, wherever she was the lone pistillate successful her people studying pre-medicine. She earned a postgraduate grade astatine Boston University and an M.D. grade with honors astatine the University of Athens Medical School, completing her residency astatine 3 locations – Memorial Hospital successful Worcester, Rhode Island Hospital successful Providence and astatine the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Medicine successful Otolaryngology and Neck Surgery. Dr. Mary received a Masters Degree successful Science from Brown University and successful her aboriginal years, she was Clinical Professor Emerita of Surgery astatine Brown University School of Medicine.

Her nonrecreational vocation included backstage signifier with privileges astatine Rhode Island Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, the Veterans Administration Hospital and Miriam Hospital. She was past president of the Providence Medical Association and was recipient of the Providence Medical Association’s Distinguished Service Award.

In 1997, Dr. Mary and Harold established the Dr. Mary Despina Lekas, M.D. D.Sc. Endowed Chair successful Biology astatine Clark University. That aforesaid year, Dr. Mary received an Honorary Doctorate Degree (Doctor of Science) from Clark University that recognized her singular nonrecreational career. In 2007, she established “The Mary D. Lekas Fund for the Advancement of Women successful Medicine” astatine Brown University Medical School. Known to accidental “It’s an cognition with gratitude”, Dr. Mary believed successful giving backmost and supported galore philanthropic endeavors passim her life.

While her world and nonrecreational credentials characterized the nationalist broadside of Dr. Mary’s life, she besides lived successful a glorious parallel satellite rooted successful her Greek heritage, her content successful God and successful her Eastern Orthodox faith. With a passionateness for art, euphony and charity, Dr. Mary was an progressive subordinate of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church successful Cranston, Rhode Island, singing successful the religion choir, serving arsenic a subordinate of the Good Samaritan Ladies Philoptochos Society and regularly attending Divine Liturgy services, peculiar lectures, programs and Bible survey classes. Her religion successful God was truthful great, she adjacent saved a postulation of iconography from the parish’s archetypal determination connected Pine Street successful Providence and displayed the historical icons successful her location with different works of creation she had collected implicit the years.

In designation of her work to the Annunciation Church, Dr. Mary was named the 2009 recipient of the Metropolis of Boston Laity Award.

Dr. Mary was the large benefactor of the Annunciation Parish’s Endowment Fund, established successful her grant arsenic the “Dr. Mary Despina Lekas Endowment Fund”, ensuring the church’s ministries would unrecorded connected for generations. At a gathering successful her grant for her magnanimous donations, Dr. Mary stated, “I americium doing this for the younker of our parish, truthful that they whitethorn perpetuate the religion and traditions of our church”.

A peculiar designation of appreciation is extended to her caregiver and companion Judy Antonelli, a existent “good and faithful servant” whose devotion to our Dr. Mary was boundless to the precise end. Above all, heavy gratitude is extended to Dr. Mary’s beloved person and chap Clark University alumnus, Thomas M. Dolan, Esquire.

Dr. Mary Lekas lived beingness to the fullest with emotion successful her heart, heavy humility and with a graciousness and appreciation not lone for what she was capable to execute but for the gifts provided to her done her spot successful God. Dr. Mary modeled her beingness based connected her ain poetic creation: “Life is simply a song. Love is the music. A symphony of faith, our Lord the endurance kit.”

On behalf of each you did for truthful galore radical passim your life, we convey you, Dr. Mary. May your representation beryllium eternal.

In lieu of flowers, donations made to the Dr. Mary Despina Lekas Endowment Fund of the Church of the Annunciation.

Relatives and friends are invited to wage their respects connected Tuesday, January 31, 2023 from 9:00 americium until 10:00am astatine the Church of the Annunciation, 175 Oaklawn Avenue, Cranston, RI, 02920, with a ceremonial work to travel instantly astatine 10:00 am.

Condolences and memories tin beryllium shared astatine www.WoodlawnRI.com.