Dr. Rolando Enrique Creagh

Dr. Rolando Enrique Creagh-Larramendi, MD, ABS, FACS, 90, passed away March 20, 2025. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 2, 2025 at McLaren’s Chapel in West Des Moines followed by a rosary service at 7 p.m. A memorial mass will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 3, 2025 at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Des Moines followed by placement at Resthaven Mausoleum.

Rolando was born August 14, 1935 in Guantanamo, Cuba to Maria Gloria Larramendi Vivar and Enrique Creagh Creagh. He married Maria Luisa Perez-Guindulain Cabeza in three separate ceremonies (in France, Spain and the consulate of Cuba) on March 21, 1959. They both graduated from the University of Paris, then traveled for a while before settling in Havana, Cuba. In the following years, they sought political asylum in the U.S. and settled in West Des Moines, Iowa. Dr. Creagh was a gastrointestinal specialist and general surgeon who practiced in Des Moines for over 50 years.

Dr. Creagh provided and cared for many: his patients, his community and most importantly, his family. He was a very private person in some respects, but to his circle of friends, he was so loved.

In 1969, Rolando, with his two daughters Laura and Alicia, became United States Citizens. He was so proud of the home that they had built in West Des Moines. It was a symbol of his success and hard work to reach the “American Dream”. Tragically, after a house fire in 2016, he was personally devastated and oversaw its rebuilding in the two years that followed.

Our mom, his wife of 65 years, passed away on February 28, 2025. He could not bare to be without her. So, his is a love story that we did not expect.

Rolando is survived by three children, Laura O’Neil, Alicia (Robert) Skow and Henry (Sharon) Creagh; seven grandchildren, Nathan O’Neil, Alex (Jamie) Duncan, Ryan and Rebecca Skow, Rachael (Tim) Michael, Molly Creagh and Mitchell (Amber) Creagh; and four great-grandchildren, Anya Duncan, Arlo Michael, Carter and Kayde Creagh; his sister, Gloria Herminia Creagh Larramendi Buford and husband, Dr. Nick Buford and their children, Nick Anthony (Myladis Marzan-Santiago) Creagh Buford, and their grandkids: Patrick and Dylan Buford-Marzan, Dr. Kevin Creagh Buford, and Desiree-Lysette (Sophia Lanza-Well) Creagh Buford; aunt, Rachel Plá “Tia Beba” Larramendi Sherman; cousins, Lincoln Ulises Larramendi, Rafael Angel Larramendi, Pablo Larramendi, Dario Larramendi, Ulises Larramendi, and Lara Larramendi; and second cousin, Libia Larramendi.

Come learn more about this love story and celebrate his life with us.