Dr. Pedro Juan Soberanis Aguilar

Dr. Pedro Juan Soberanis Aguilar, 70, of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico and Columbus, Ohio, passed away peacefully on December 8, 2018 surrounded by family. He battled lung and brain cancer. He is survived by his wife, Aireen; daughter Angelica and her husband Benjamin, son Alain and his wife Jennifer; sisters, Mercedes, Victoria Eugenia, and Zulema; grandchildren, Coby and Ethan; and many other relatives and friends near and far. Dr. Aguilar will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a loving, generous, kind, dedicated, and humble individual. Dr. Aguilar practiced as a Colon and Rectal Surgeon for 37 years. He graduated magna cum laude from Universidad Autonomo de Yucatan, School of Medicine in 1972 from the University of Yucatan in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. He was a medical intern at De Paul Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia prior to completing general surgery residencies at both Saint Barnabas Medical Center in New Jersey and Charleston Area Medical Center in West Virginia, where he served as chief surgical resident. He was a fellow at Grant Medical Center, in Columbus, Ohio prior to becoming a faculty member of the Colon and Rectal Surgery program from 1981 to 1991. While at Grant Medical Center, Dr. Aguilar served as program director of the Colon and Rectal Surgery program from 1991 to 2015, and associate director of the program from 2015 to 2017. From 2000 to 2002 he was the chairman of the Department of Surgery. As program director of Grant Hospital’s Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency Training program, Dr. Aguilar dedicated his time, knowledge, and support to the training and mentoring of over one hundred colon and rectal fellows locally and internationally, providing monthly lectures, coordinating journal clubs, and earning Teacher of the Year award in 1988, the Baldwin Award in 2017, and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. Dr. Aguilar was a member of American Medical Association, American College of Surgeons, American College of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, SAGES, Sociedad Mexicana de Colon y Ano, Ohio Valley Society Colon Rectal Surgeons, Ohio State Medical Association, Columbus Medical Association, and Columbus Surgical Society, Philippine Society of Central Ohio, and Latin Ladies and Friends organization. He also served as past president of Ohio Valley Society of Colon Rectal Surgeons. In addition to his work at Grant Medical Center, Dr. Aguilar participated in medical mission trips to the Philippines, Ethiopia, and Mexico and served as health advisor for the Latino Empowerment Outreach Network. He enjoyed tailgating at the Ohio State University Buckeye games and cheering on the Columbus Clippers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Columbus Crew, and University of North Carolina Tarheels. He also enjoyed getting together for family reunions, watching Cantiflas movies, listening to mariachi bands and jazz concerts, and attending local festivals and social gatherings. Dr. Pedro Aguilar’s values of being a good citizen and helping humankind were apparent in his everyday life and reflected in all the lives he touched. His legacy will have a profound and lasting impact on many lives professionally and personally. He will be deeply missed. In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted by the following organizations: OhioHealth Foundation/Ralph Samson MD Memorial Endowment, OhioHealth Foundation, Grant Medical Center, website, https://foundation.ohiohealth.com Medical Ministry International website, https://mmicanada.z2systems.com/np/clients/mmicanada/donation.jsp?campaign=21&&test=true Please join us during calling hours on Thursday, December 13, 2018 from 4-6pm with a Celebration of Life service from 6-7pm at Rutherford-Corbin Funeral Home, 515 High St., Worthington, Ohio 43085. Additional Memorial Service will be held at 2 pm, Friday, December 14, 2018, at Grant Hospital Hugenberger Auditorium.

Dr. Pedro Juan Soberanis Aguilar

May 4, 1948 - December 8, 2018