Carlos F. Taboada

In his youth he enjoyed competitive sports like baseball and swimming. He excelled in fencing and participated with the national team in the Pan-American Games held in Mexico City. He met his high school sweetheart, Silvia Latour Montalvo, at Instituto del Vedado. He studied at the University of Havana, School of Medicine, graduating in 1946. He started as Assistant Professor of Medicine at University and several years later became a full professor of Pharmacology, practiced medicine and published his first book “Tratamiento del Cardiaco”. He married Silvia and they had three beautiful children, Carlos, Tony and Patricia. Due to the political situation at that time, Carlos and his family left Cuba in 1960. He began his residency in Dallas and after five years, moved his family to Houston. He worked in Ben Taub Hospital and was an Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine. In 1966, he joined the Kelsey Seybold Clinic, where he continued his practice. In 1971 he initiated the Oncology Teaching Section of St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and remained a member. He served on the Executive Board of the Clinic for several years as well as the Executive Board of the Department of Internal Medicine at St. Luke’s. During this time, he published several medical articles and lectured throughout the Americas. He received the distinguished “Carlos Finlay” Award from the Cuban Medical Association. Through his dedication, perseverance and commitment, he created one of the most enduring international medical practices in the Texas Medical Center. He was named a Fellow of the Kelsey Seybold Clinic for combating cancer and for his excellent treatment of the Clinic’s patients. After 37devoted years, he retired from the Clinic in 2003.

Since then, Carlos has spent his time with his family. He enjoyed his books, especially Don Quixote. He published a brief dictionary of seldom used Spanish words. He listened to music; everything from the Buena Vista Social Club to Pavarotti. He traveled throughout Europe with Silvia and saw Pope John Paul II. Carlos regularly attended the exhibits at the MFAH and sporting events. He adopted a dog, Cosita. He studied literature at Rice and computer science at HCC. Occasionally he shared a glass of wine with some of his friends. On Sunday’s he looked forward to having a meal with family members and was always eager to visit a restaurant he had never eaten in before.

He is survived by his children and their spouses, Carlos and Suzanne Taboada, Tony and Mary-Beth Taboada; Patricia and James Alpha; his grandchildren Charlie, Nicolas, Arianna and Gabriel Taboada and Alex and Jordan Alpha.

The family wants to thank Maria Lucia Suarez for the loving care he gave Silvia and him for many years.

He will be greatly missed by his friends and family.

Silvia and Carlos wanted to be buried in Cuba. Their ashes will remain with the family until they can be taken to their homeland.

A memorial service will be held at St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church (6800 Buffalo Speedway) on March 3, 2011 at 5:00 PM. Fr. John Devlin, LC, his good friend, will offer the mass. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the charity of your choice.