HIDEO HIROSE, M.D.
November 5, 1930 - November 14, 2020
STORY
Hideo Hirose, M.D., 90, was truly at home taking care of patients. He deeply cared about them; he worried about them, and remembered them long after he retired. He had an innate understanding that becoming a physician isn’t just about being a scientist, nor is it understanding the art of the practice of medicine, but being a physician incorporates the essence of being human.
Named after a prominent bacteriologist, he was destined to become a doctor. His father was one of the first physicians of Japanese descent in Denver, Colorado, and his grandfather, was a general surgeon who trained in Germany.
A Manual High School graduate, he excelled as a pitcher for the University of Colorado and then in semi-professional baseball for the Nisei league, a Japanese American league formed in the era of segregation. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. This experience instilled in him a sadness of the atrocities of war.
He married his college sweetheart, Clara Shindo. Her work as a teacher helped him not only through medical school, but also through surgical residency. It was her support, which gave him the freedom to pursue his passion for medicine.
His mentor, Dr. Ben Eiseman, became a profound influence throughout his life and inspired him to pursue surgery. He and Clara followed Dr. Eiseman from the University of Colorado to the University of Kentucky and back to Colorado. He practiced orthopedic surgery during the “Golden Era.” During this time, he and his partners at the Woodridge Orthopedic Clinic were the team physicians for the Denver Broncos.
He had a firm understanding that to live, it is not so important what one has achieved, or what one has, but what one is.
He shined when surrounded by his family. His wife, Clara preceded him in death by three months. His children Lorie Hirose (Michael Simon), Melissa Hirose Wong, Ph.D. (Peter H. Wong), Scott Hirose, Psy.D. (Timothy Sullivan), Christopher Hirose, M.D. (Takako), and grandchildren Sarah Simon, Sydney Simon, Emily Wong, Zoë Wong, Andrew Wong and Madeleine Hirose will strive to carry on his legacy.
He was earnest, honest, and kind. We will miss him.
REMEMBERING HIDEO HIROSE
DOCTOR
HUSBAND
FATHER AND GRANDFATHER
ATHLETE
THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF HIDI'S LIFE
We would love to hear any memories, stories, or other thoughts you may have.
Please use the form below to share with us.
MESSAGES
If you would like to send a card, please email Lorie Hirose (lorie@simontv.net) for the address.
MEMORIES
Hideo lives on through the stories we tell and the memories we keep close to our hearts.
The following excerpts were submitted from the form above.
Hidi joined a relatively small group of surgical residents at the newly opened University of Kentucky Hospital in 1962. Like Dr. Jack Gallagher and I, he had been recruited from Denver by Ben Eiseman to become part of an early team that staffed the hospital. I was Hideo's Chief Resident for more than a year. Opening a hospital was a unique experience for all of us. We surgical residents answered to the commands of Attending surgeons such as Frank Spencer, Rene Menguy, and Ben Rush, all of whom became Surgical Department Chairmen at prestigious medical schools within a few years. Because some specialties had no attendings in the beginning, we covered a variety of surgical fields. Hidi was simply great to work with. He understood "The Boss" (Ben Eiseman) and did everything that could be asked of a surgical resident. I tried to keep him in general surgery but he was determined to become an orthopod. We often laughed about my failed recruitment when we met, all too rarely , in Denver where we both ended up working. The memory of Hidi Hirose brings a smile to my face because he was such a good human being, an astute resident and a warm friend. Ben Eiseman, Jack Gallagher and I, when recalling our days together in Lexington, invariably would comment on the valued participation of Hideo as a resident and the later success he enjoyed practicing in Denver. We were very proud of his skills and his reputation. Larry Norton. MD Emeritus Professor of Surgery, CU School of Medicine.
Larry Norton
Residents in Lexington, friends in Denver
I first met Hidi when we were drawing our equipment at the start of the 1946 football season at Manual High School. Since he was a starter on the sophomore team the previous year, he was at the front of the line with the lettermen and other vets to collect his uniform and equipment while I being new to the school was at the end of the line and got the leftovers, mostly junk. I remember asking him how he rated and he smiled and we had a short conversation. After the practice and exhibition season, I made 1st string (coaches had all my uniform and equipment replaced with newer one) and was able to play next to Hide on some plays. He played end and I was a tackle. We were pretty tough 160 pounders, going both ways, offense and defense.
During the 1947 baseball season, Hidi who was a junior, was one of the star pitcher on the Manual High School team. (He made all city in his senior year). Lucky Yamaga played left field and I was the 1st basement on the team. I noticed many of the Nisei kids used to come watch us play including Clara.
When the high school baseball season was over, all 3 of us joined the Denver Bussei team in the Northern Colorado Nisei Baseball League (NCNBL). The league had 2 divisions, the higher level American League with 6 teams and the National League with 7 teams. There were teams in Ft. Lupton, Littleton, Ft. Morgan, Longmont, Ault, Platteville, 2 teams in Brighton and Greeley and 3 teams in Denver. Our team won the American League championship. Hideo made all star, as he had 8 wins and 0 loses for the season.
In 1948, the top players from the Denver Bussei and Denver Merchants and several players from other teams were picked to play for the new Denver Nisei team in the Denver semi-pro Metropolitan (Metro) League. Hideo and I were 2 of the players picked for the team. We got great support from the the Japanese community. Even the Issei folks came out since most of the games were played in our neighborhood at 23rd and Welton Street. I remember seeing Hidi's mom at the games. The Denver Nisei team was very competitive in the Metro League and won the league championship in 1952.
In 1948 and 1949, the team won the Denver Labor Day Baseball Tournament with teams from the NCNBL, southern Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, and a strong team from Ogden, Utah entered. The team was also invited to the Utah Nisei Invitational Baseball Tournament in the same years which we also won so we were considered the Nisei Rocky Mountain champions. The Fresno Nisei baseball team managed by Nisei baseball legend Ken Zenimura was the west coast champions. A 3 out 5 game series was set up in Fresno in 1950 to determine the Nisei Baseball Champions of the USA. The Fresno team beat us in the 1st 3 games was was declared the champions. After Fresno, we went to the LA area and played 2 other teams and split the series. Hideo and the rest of us had a good time on the trip.
Hideo played for the University of Colorado and I for the Denver University baseball teams but we never against each other.
Hideo was always a gentleman and a true sportsman. In all the time as a team mate and friend, I never heard him say a cuss word or mean thing about anyone. I will miss him dearly.
Mas Yoshimura
Masaru Yoshimura
Friend and Team Mate
Condolences to the family. We'll miss him.
Charlie and Chicky Yamagucyi
Childhood friend
Please accept my deepest sympathies on the loss of your father and mother. You were very kind to remember my father, Dr Ben Eiseman, in the memorial you recently published for your father. Dr Hirose was part of a wonderful cadre of supremely caring and accomplished physicians. Each leaned from one another, and passed along the knowledge to younger surgeons, while giving patients the best possible medical attention. It is a legacy to be proud of.
Andy Eiseman
Hidi was the warmest, kindest human being that I ever knew in my profession. He was responsible for my practice change in 1981. I owe him a great deal of gratitude for convincing me to join his orthopedic group which changed my career for the better. I will miss him and his equally warm and kind wife Clara greatly. God speed Hidi!
Walter Robinson
Was his partner at Woodridge Orthopedics for 21 years.
Our social lives included dancing with our friends and enjoying personal time together. We enjoyed Japanese cuisine as well as great dinner times together. Both Hidi and Clara were very special friends and will be missed. Both of the Hirosi's were special people loved life and their friends. We will always remember them and their family as truly special friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Oliver J. Shaw
Hidi and I were members of the Arvada Associated Modelers and became great friends
Hideo encouraged me to pursue a career in orthopedics and wrote letters of recommendation to U Colorado Medical School. I remember his smiling face and unassuming and humble personality-special person -Mike
Mike Tramutt
Orthopedic surgery
During the late 60's, Hidi and I shared a patient with huge injuries who had lost her husband, mother and mother-in-law in the same accident. They had been on a trip to the mountains to see the fall colors when the steering mechanism in their car failed and went over the mountain side. I saw him just after he came out of her room from telling her this terrible news and he had tears in his eyes. I wanted to hug him for his feelings and compassion. We followed that patient for over 20 years and she was devoted to him. Later, after retirement, we saw each other at the Rockies game where he and Clara and well as my husband and I had season t kindness personified! There are very few as humble yet so talented as he was as a person and a doctor. He was loved and will be missed!
Eileen Hess
I worked with Hidi all the years he was at Lutheran and was a physical therapist in charge of Rehabilitation Services at Lutheran.
Hede (he told us that was his nickname) was one of the kindest, caring, supportive, knowledgeable & knowledge seeking persons I have had the pleasure to know. I met Hede when the family together decided it was time to support his wife Clara by moving into a Senior Care community. He eventually joined Clara and together you saw a rich love and connection between 2 people that a Hallmark movie could be based on. He was always more concerned about ‘the other guy’. He came to the assistance of several residents when he recognized they needed it. In fact he saved the life of one of the residents when he performed the Heimlich maneuver when his keen senses noticed a resident chocking before anyone else. Having been touched by the lives of Hede and Clara was a gift and the memories are many. I am a richer person from knowing them.
Sande Cournoyer
As a young boy I remember my Uncle Hidi as a kind and compassionate man. He inspired me to study and learn. He was a great role model. He showed by example how to be a continuous student. He encouraged me in my career and in his later years was a patient teacher who shared his love of flying model airplanes with me. I will miss him a lot.