Dr. Wilmer G. Heceta

HECETA, Dr. Wilmer G., 75, of Wheeling, died at 2:55am on the 23rd of January 2012 in Orlando, FL where he and his wife, Dr. Estherbelle Heceta were living temporarily with their daughter, Cris.

He was born Feb. 29, 1936, in the Philippines to Espiridion, Sr. and Ginesa Heceta. They are deceased as is a brother, Atty. Espiridion Heceta, Jr.

Upon moving his family to the Ohio Valley in 1974, the thoracic and general surgeon maintained a long medical career, centered mostly at Bellaire City Hospital, where he was Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery for several years. Other affiliations were OVMC, EORH, Wheeling and Reynolds Memorial Hospital. He had medical licensure in the District of Columbia, as well as West Virginia and Ohio. He was the Medical Director for the former Bellaire Medical Foundation for several years. He provided inspiration and knowledge to those with whom he worked and generated public faith in his surgical practice – among his peers and in the healthcare institutions that he served.

Dr. Heceta finished his pre-med education at Silliman University, Philippines with high honors. He graduated cum laude from medical school at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Philippines. He completed a general surgery residency and rotating internship in Youngstown, OH hospital. The residency for his thoracic and cardiovascular surgical specialty was done at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, TN.

His board certifications and fellowships are numerous: Diplomate of American and Philippine Boards of Surgery, Diplomate of American Board of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Diplomate of American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians; and Fellow of American College of Surgeons, Philippine College of Surgeons, Philippine Practicing Surgeons in America, American Colleges of Chest Physicians, Angiology and Utilization Review Physicians.

Organizations and societies locally were memberships in Belmont County and Ohio State medical groups. He served four years on the Board of Governors of the Association of Philippine Physicians in America APPA. He completed several international medical missions including surgical missions for harelip children in the Philippines as well as a church mission sponsored by Vance Memorial Presbyterian Church to Mexico.

A family–oriented man and an incredibly proud grandfather, Dr. Heceta could be seen at various hockey rinks and basketball courts to support the efforts of his 5 grandchildren. Since his Feb. 29 birth date qualified him as a “Leap Year Baby,” he was teased for only recently turning “18”. At one party, his wife, who is a retired anesthesiologist from OVMC, was reminded of a letter in which she wrote, “Wilmer is ‘The Wind Beneath My Wings.'”

Dr. Heceta is survived by his wife, Estherbelle Aguilar Heceta, M.D.; daughters W. Cristina Heceta of Orlando, Florida; Elgine Heceta McArdle and husband Jack of Wheeling and Wuela Heceta Greene and husband Dave of Wheeling; Sisters Atty. Kathleen Heceta, Guendolyn H. Mah and Dr. Elizabeth H. Moleta, all of the Philippines; a former son-in-law J. Douglas West; grandchildren Danielle Heceta McArdle, Ian Wilmer McArdle, Tyson Heceta West, Brooke Eleanor McArdle, Braedyn Nichol West, Dalton Edward Greene and Dylan Elliott Greene, all of Wheeling; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was dedicated to serving both of his alma maters – Silliman University and UERMMMC, receiving the Outstanding Alumni Award in Medicine for Silliman University and the Outstanding Leadership Award for UERMMMC. He was Chairman of the Alumni Foundation, USA AFUSA of UERMMMC from 1984 – 1996, founding the Wilmer Heceta 333 Endowment Fund for his medical school alma mater. The concept of this Endowment Fund is for any individual, class or any entity to donate $333 payable in quarterly, bi-annual or yearly for each of 3 years in order to complete a total donation of $1, 000. Memorial Contributions or pledges may be made to the Wilmer Heceta 333 Endowment Fund, and mailed to Estherbelle A. Heceta, M.D., 13214 Meergate Circle, Orlando, FL 32837 for a donation in his name.

Friends will be received in Wheeling, West Virginia at the Altmeyer Funeral Home, Elm Grove Chapel, 154 Kruger Street, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday, the 27th of January 2012. Funeral Services will be Saturday, the 28th of January 2012 at 1 p.m. Vance Memorial Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Dr. Charles LaPlaca and Rev. Dr. Larry Kline officiating. Interment services for family only will be at Greenwood Cemetery.