Roll Call Tribute

Edwin Tomas "Eddie" Melendez 

September 21, 1974 - May 21, 2024 

Beloved son, nephew, cousin, godfather, naval officer, surgeon, family physician, teacher, mentor, colleague and friend to many, our dear “Eddie”, age 49, passed from the bounds of this earth just days before he was to walk as a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago in Spain with one of his very best childhood friends. The Camino journey was intended as a manifestation of Eddie’s deep personal faith and spirituality. It seems that the good Lord decided that Eddie had already demonstrated more than enough faith and love for one lifetime!

Eddie was born on September 21, 1974, in Columbus, South Carolina at the Moncrief Army Hospital in Fort Jackson to mother Leandra “Margie” Amalia Melendez-Murphy, and Colonel (Retired) Edwin Melendez-Cruz, M.D. Growing up as an Army brat, he entered elementary school in Honolulu, Hawaii. From there, his family lived in Heidelberg, Germany, for three years. After a short year in Maryland while Eddie’s father was stationed at Walter Reed Military Medical Center, the next transfer led them to Frankfurt, Germany, for two years.

Then, at last, Eddie and his parents found themselves in their adopted home state of Texas, beginning in San Antonio in 1986 where Eddie attended Eisenhower Middle School and then Churchill High School, during which time Eddie developed what would become his deepest and longest-lasting friendships. At Churchill, Eddie was an enthusiastic member of the Speech & Debate Team, participated in the R.O.T.C program and the soccer team and was inducted as a member of the Boy Scouts’ prestigious Order of the Arrow.

But perhaps the most formative experience of Eddie’s adolescence was his involvement in the Holy Spirit Catholic Church youth group. He was a co-founder of the Holy Spirit chapter of the Young Vincentians (St. Vincent de Paul Society), and an officer of the youth group. As active members of the youth group, Eddie and his friends organized and participated in many service projects and retreats. These experiences not only enriched his and his dearest friends’ faith lives, but also guided them towards vocations of humanitarian service.

In the Fall of 1992, Eddie became a Texas A&M Aggie, but after two years was lured away to the picturesque campus of Rollins College in Florida, where he was a member of the men’s varsity rowing team and graduated with a B.S. in Biology in 1996. After graduating from college, Eddie worked as a phlebotomist in Corpus Christi, Texas, before joining the United States Navy and attending Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. While in medical school, Eddie fell in love with NYC, and delighted in hosting friends and family to share the city’s many wonders with them.

Ensign Melendez graduated as an M.D. in 2004 and completed his general surgery internship at the National Naval Medical Center in Maryland. Eddie then trained as a flight surgeon at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Thereafter, Lt. Commander Melendez completed nearly three years of service at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. Upon his return to the States, he practiced medicine at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth while also earning a master’s degree from The University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health.

Already an experienced and highly educated physician, Eddie’s transition from naval service led him to complete a residency in family medicine at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. Following his residency, Eddie embarked on a 10-year career at CommUnityCare in Austin, eventually becoming the Clinic Lead at their William Cannon Clinic where Eddie selflessly worked as a primary care physician until his passing. During that time, he also served as Affiliate Faculty for Dell Medical School, in which capacity he modeled for many medical students his compassionate care of vulnerable, medically complex patients.

Throughout his life Eddie enjoyed a multitude of physical activities such as skiing, scuba diving and cycling, and he completed the New York marathon and several triathlons. He also had an ardent appreciation for good food, cold beer, the Austin FC and a rich variety of music, which was celebrated in his yearly attendance at the Austin City Limits Festival with his childhood friends. A proud and true Boricua, he embraced his Puerto Rican heritage with joy. As his friend, you felt like family, and for his family, he was your closest friend.

But most important of all, above everything else, Eddie was passionate about the patients in his care. As a healer, he brought comfort and courage to the afflicted. He gave everything he had to them and to their families and to his comrades in medical care. He became a revered pillar of family medicine at CommUnityCare by always putting his patients first and being unafraid to speak truth to power, particularly when advocating for what his patients deserved. He was loud and shrewd and persistent. And also kind, silly, affectionate, witty and more than a little bit irreverent and mischievous. No matter who you were, he saw you, heard you, and connected with you in the way you needed most.

Eddie was preceded in death by his grandparents, Humberto Melendez, Carmen Cruz Melendez, Fausto Murphy and Obdulia Alexandrino Murphy; his uncle Luis Valdes Dominguez; and cousins Jose Melendez and Humberto Melendez. He is survived by his parents; his aunts and uncles Humberto Melendez (Edna), Ernesto Melendez (Evangelina), Roxana Melendez, Francisco Melendez, and Josefina Murphy Valdes; his cousins and their children, Gerardo Melendez, Carlos Melendez, Liza Melendez, Monica Melendez (Joel Vazquez), Adriana Valdes Vlasic (Paul), Luisa Alexandra Valdes Cortese (Steve), Iker Jose Vazquez, Stella Maia Vazquez, Desmond Ernesto Vazquez, Sebastian Infante, Adam Paul Vlasic and Martha Ione Vlasic; and the godchildren he treasured, Luna and Francisco.

Eddie is also survived by adored Yorkshire terrier Poochini who was loyally and lovingly present when Eddie passed away quietly in his home. Finally, he leaves behind on earth a legion of friends and colleagues, and also countless patients and their families whose lives he touched with his grace and compassionate care. Eddie’s legacy of love is broad and deep and brilliant, and the universe is all the more magical and magnificent because of him.

Donations in Eddie’s memory are suggested to be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital (stjude.org).