In Memoriam

Dr. Ronald Alan Robins
1946-2024

Dr. Ronald Alan Robins died peacefully on March 16 at the age of 77. Ronnie was born on November 12, 1946, in Houston, Texas, where he cultivated lifelong friendships both in his personal and professional relationships. Ronnie loved life and lived by high ethical standards to work hard, accept people for who they are, and be respectful of the beliefs and opinions of others. He valued family, education, trustworthiness, self-reliance, and friendship. He embraced the concept of living a good life to its fullest. In all matters, Ronnie was all in. An honors graduate of San Jacinto High School (Class of 1963), he was regarded as a talented, competitive athlete, both as a swimmer and linebacker for his high school team. Throughout his life, he continued to love sports and the outdoors, both as an enthusiastic spectator and an avid hunter and fisherman.

After graduating from high school, Ronnie attended Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, where he was an active member of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity. After college, he matriculated to the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine. Returning to Houston after graduation, he earned a reputation as an accomplished podiatrist and astute business investor. Ronnie was partners with his cousin Drew Robins at Continental Silverline Products, a wholesale mattress manufacturing company that was started by Ronnie and Drew's fathers over seventy years ago. Respected and loved by his patients, Ronnie was in private practice at the same location in Spring Branch and for over 40 years while on staff at Spring Branch Hospital and Memorial Hermann-Memorial City Hospital. A skilled and compassionate doctor, Ronnie generously mentored countless new doctors in the field of podiatry and willingly responded to the needs of others, during and beyond office hours. His patients, family, and friends respected his sound advice and unwavering advocacy, whether in the office, in surgery, or by their bedsides where he quietly comforted them and demonstrated his genuine empathy and concern.

With him through it all was his devoted wife Jackie, who shared his love of adventure. Together, they made friends and saw the world. Jackie's happy and easy-going personality, paired with Ronnie's intellect, wit, and irreverence ensured they never met a stranger. When they weren't traveling and making new friends, Jackie and Ronnie were spending time with family, friends and loved ones. A life-long Houstonian, Ronnie had deep roots and relationships throughout the community, many of which lasted his lifetime.

Preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Sylvia Robins, Ronnie is survived by his beloved wife, Jackie Fontenot Robins; son, Kevin Robins and his wife Sara; sisters Barbara Friedman and Linda Robins; grandchildren Eva Elyse Robins and Rhett Robins; cousin Drew Robins and his wife Edna; sister-in-law Cassie McCain and her husband Bill; and sister-in-law Mary Gayle Fontenot.

The family would like to express their gratitude to Dr. Christopher Logothetis and MD Anderson Cancer Center for their care and support, as well as the team at the Concierge Clinicians of Houston who provided such loving care to Ronnie at the end of his life. According to his wishes, Ronnie's family gathered for a private ceremony. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Gulf Coast Conservation Association, CCA Texas, 6919 Portwest Drive, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77024, or the charity of your choice.

Funeral Home - Neptune Society - Houston, 2901 W Loop South Suite 102, Houston, TX

Published by Houston Chronicle from Mar. 20 to Mar. 24, 2024.

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Coyle DeMoss, D.P.M

12/01/43-10/30/23

On October 30th, 2023, Coyle passed away peacefully with his family by his side at Texoma Medical Center.  The family would like to thank all the doctors, nurses, and caregivers at TMC for the exemplary care and concern that was given to him during this time. 

Coyle was a family man first and foremost.  There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his family.  Coyle is survived by his loving and treasured wife of 60 years, Marianne Hudson DeMoss.  Their adventures took them far and wide through trials, travails, and many successes buoyed by a deep, enduring love and commitment that they shared and nurtured.  He is also survived by his daughter, Dana DeMoss Collie, son-in-law, Morris Watson Collie, son Derek Patton DeMoss, daughter-in-law Gillian DeMoss and his beloved grandchildren Patton Reid Collie, Alexandrea Moutray Collie, Victoria Claire Collie and Madeline Crist.  The extended family includes Coyle’s sister, Cleta DeMoss Bieger, brother-in-law James Bieger, nephew Adam Bieger and wife Jessica, children Ethan and Emma, nephew Cullen Bieger and his daughter Lily as well as many cousins and friends that he calls family (you know who you are).   

Coyle was a humanitarian at heart.  During his long and colorful life, he wore many uniforms of service including that of a firefighter, marine, private pilot, podiatrist, and civic leader.  He was the first podiatrist in the Grayson County area and the first podiatrist on staff at Memorial/Texoma Medical Center, Madonna Hospital, and Katy Hospital all in Denison Texas.  For 41 years, from 1974 until his retirement in 2015, Coyle served the Denison-Sherman area providing foot care to patients in his office as well as in retirement centers, hospitals, and through house-calls to those who were home-bound.  

He had a huge heart for his patients and was known to provide care, free of charge, when his patients had fallen into hard times.  He was a masterful storyteller, exchanging life exploits with his patients who, in turn, often became his friends. When asked what made him laugh, he confessed it is when he can tell his own jokes (which many a patient heard while he was treating them)….he called this the “Cardinal Sin of a Comic”.  And everyone knew he was a comic at heart and loved to have a good time.  

As a civil servant, Coyle was on the board of directors for the Campfire Girls and the Rod and Gun Club.  He was also a 25+ year member of the Denison Lions Club and he and Marianne hosted Lions Club International campers in their home for three summers.  He was a long-term member of the Rotary Club, a 32nd-degree Mason, a member of the Billie Mosse Masonic Lodge, Sherman Chapter #62 RAM Scottish Rights and Hella Shriner International, and a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). 

Coyle was a maverick, always blazing a trail.  Whether the trail led to the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine in Cleveland Ohio (1969-1974) where he became a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine or motivated him to start a malpractice insurance group (Southwest Professional Indemnity Company) with a group of podiatrist friends to confront unreasonable malpractice insurance premiums, he was always searching for a better way and a better life.  He did his best to ensure that his family, friends, and patients' lives were better for his presence and efforts.  

He was a seeker who sought understanding, knowledge, experience, life, love, and ways to serve others.  He was a doctor, humanitarian, pilot, scuba diver, golfer, explorer, friend, spouse of 60 years, and a father.

After he received his private pilot’s license, he flew Angel flights taking cancer patients for treatment at various treatment centers around the country.  He was always on the lookout for ways that he could serve people.  

Please join us in honoring Coyle’s final Angel Flight (this time as a beloved passenger instead of the pilot) as we celebrate his life on December 17th, 2023, at 2pm at the Katy Depot Event Center located at 101 E. Main St. Denison Texas.  

Memorials may be made in his name to Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation, or the charity of your choice.

Dr. Ronald J. Bruscia was born on April 23, 1947 in Buffalo, New York to Ronald Sr. and Frances Wozniak Bruscia.

He served his country in the US. Army Reserves and received an Honorable Discharge in July of 1970.

On May 29, 1992, he married Kathleen Jane Burke in Worcester, Massachusetts. They are longtime residents of Katy, Texas. He had over three decades in practice caring for patients in Katy and the greater Houston area. Dr. Bruscia attended the Bishop Timon High School in Buffalo, New York. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He earned his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. After graduation, Dr. Bruscia completed an intensive foot and ankle surgical training through the Harris County Podiatric Residency Program in Houston, Texas. He held a board certification through the American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry and was a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

He was a former board member at the Katy YMCA and served as a director for the annual YMCA Turkey Dash race for several years. He was a longtime member of the Grace Fellowship Church. He participated in numerous charity Golf events in the greater Houston area and was a member of many professional organizations.

He was a diehard Astros fan and an avid car enthusiast. He loved attending the baseball games with family and friends. You might had seen him often at a local car show with a coffee cup in hand. He enjoyed swimming and the beach. Over the years, he completed 18 marathons and triathlons including the Boston Marathon. He liked inline skating and participated in races all over the country.

Dr. Ronald J. Bruscia passed away on Saturday, February 4, 2023 in Houston, at the age of 75 years.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy Bruscia; children, Ronald Bruscia, III of Austin, Rosann Sear of Austin, Ethan Bruscia (Tracy), Austin Bruscia of Katy, Grace Bruscia of Katy and Hannah Bruscia of Arlington, Texas; grandchildren, Giada Sear of Austin, Alana Bruscia of Katy and another grandchild due in the spring; sister, Janice Morris of Katy; nephews, Kris Morris of Houston and Jon Morris of Austin; as well as numerous relatives in the Buffalo, New York area.

His parents, Ronald James Bruscia and Frances Wozniak, preceded him in death.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 6, 2023 at the Grace Fellowship Church, in Katy.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Everyday Opportunity Building at Our Journey, 5242 E. 3rd St. Katy, Texas 77493 in Ron’s memory.

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Dr. Ronald J. Bruscia, Jr., please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Samuel “Mendo” Mendicino on Sunday, July 24, 2022. He is survived by his children Hannah Mendicino and Sammy Mendicino, his parents Margaret and Sam Mendicino and his brothers John Mendicino and Robert “Bobby” Mendicino. He was a hero to many in the Podiatric profession, especially those who he taught and mentored as both Residency Director and President of the Greater Texas Education Foundation. His passing is a huge loss for our program and the Podiatric community at large. Many people will write their own tributes to Dr. Mendicino and his many accomplishments, but it is his contributions to our program for which all of us owe such a deep gratitude.

After graduating from Scholl School of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago, IL, Dr. Mendicino set his sights on the Harris County Podiatric Surgical Residency (now the HCA Houston Healthcare, West Podiatric Medical and Surgical Residency) in Houston, TX, which, at the time, was one of only a handful of two-year surgical residencies in the country. Here he developed his skills as a surgeon, often working on cases using new reconstructive techniques. Sam served as Chief Resident in his final year and forged many long-lasting relationships with his fellow residents and attendings. After graduating from Harris County in 1985, Dr. Mendicino started his career back in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opening up a private practice. It was not long before he began a life-long pursuit of giving back to the Podiatric profession and its future practitioners, starting first as a member of the Clinical Teaching Staff at The Podiatry Hospital of Pittsburgh and later a member of the Surgical Residency Training Committee, among other positions. It is this legacy as a teacher and mentor (he liked to call himself a ‘seed planter’) that will live on in the hearts and minds of the many podiatrists — or as he would correctly say “foot and ankle specialists” — he has taught through his career. When he became the director of the Harris County Podiatric Surgical Residency Program in 1995, it was sponsored by Westbury Hospital with its residents working out of a single patient room. He promptly moved the program, first to Bellaire Hospital and finally to our current home at HCA Houston Healthcare, West (formerly West Houston Medical Center). Over his 25 years term as Residency Director, he worked tirelessly to make the Harris County program one of the top residencies in the country including a focus on increasing residents’ salaries and developing a learning center for the residents with state-of-the-art equipment, including Fluoroscopy, arthroscopy towers and cadaver limbs for each resident at West and our sister program at Kingwood. Much of this was possible, also under Sam’s leadership, by the formation of the Greater Texas Education Foundation to support residency growth and education. Many who have gone on to leadership roles as residency directors, board members and presidents of the American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgeons, have been taught and mentored by Dr. Mendicino. He did this by example as he himself has been in all of these positions. His energies never seemed to dim when it came to giving back to the profession both locally and nationally, starting with President of the Harris County Podiatric Medical Society, Board member and then President of the Texas Podiatric Medical Association, board member then President of the American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgery, Chairman of the Scientific Meeting for the American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons among many of his titles. Not only did he serve, but his leadership helped shape changes to policies to improve the profession.

The news of Dr. Mendicino’s passing has shocked his colleagues at the hospital and their tributes and condolences continue to pour into the offices at GTEF and his former clinic. When Dr. Mendicino joined the staff at West Houston Medical Center, he was an instant friend to all, sharing his special brand of wit and humor with colleagues in the doctors’ dining room. Sam served on numerous committees in the hospital including being elected for back-to-back terms as Chairman of the Surgery Department. Under his leadership, he helped establish the delineation of privileges for podiatry at West Houston Hospital and it was also his strong reputation with the medical staff that helped podiatrists obtain H&P privileges.