Byron Neal Dooley, M.D.

Byron Neal Dooley, M.D., 82, passed away on Saturday, July 31, 2010, in San Antonio. He was born on July 3, 1928, in Port Arthur, TX, to Byron Franklin Dooley and Dorothy Dempsey Fennell Dooley. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Jo Dooley of San Antonio; four children, Sandi K. Sullivan and husband John of Libertyville, IL and their children Steven, B.J., and Jack, Byron Scott Dooley, M.D. and wife Melissa of San Antonio and their children Michelle and Sean, Clay N. Dooley of Houston, and Kristen Q. Benavides and husband Bobby of Austin and their children Avery and Natalie.

Dr. Dooley earned his B.S. degree at Texas A&M, and his M.D. at Baylor College of Medicine.

After attaining his medical degree, he did his surgical internship at San Francisco County Hospital and his residency at Baylor in Houston under the guidance of Dr. Michael DeBakey from 1956-1960. He was Chief of Surgical Services at Hunter AFB in GA from 1960-1962. He served on the staff at Wilford Hall USAF Hospital in San Antonio from 1962-1969, first as a thoracic surgery resident, then as Assistant Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Chief of Thoracic Surgery. From 1967-1971 he was at UT Medical School at San Antonio as Assistant Professor of Surgery and then Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. He was in private practice with Thoracic and Cardiovascular Associates from 1971 till 2000, when he retired.

He was a former Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Santa Rosa Medical Center, and had been on active staff at Santa Rosa, Baptist Memorial Hospital, and Southwest Texas Methodist Hospital, as well as San Antonio Community Hospital.

He participated in the first heart transplant procedure in San Antonio. Dr. Dooley was a member of numerous medical societies and was on a number of special committees including the Texas Heart Association. He was also a former president of the Texas Chapter of the American College of Chest Physicians and former president of the San Antonio Heart Association 1974-75.

He and his wife recently celebrated 55 years of marriage. A devotee of jazz, he played in a doctors' jazz band. He also enjoyed playing golf.

He healed numerous people in his career, and his dedication, love, and patience will always be an inspiration to his family.

The family wishes to thank the men from All-Care who helped in the care of Dr. Dooley.

The family will have a private gathering in the memory of Dr. Dooley.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to American Heart Association, 8415 Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio, TX 78229; and the American Diabetes Association, Post Office Box 11454,

Alexandria, VA 22312.