It is with great sadness that we inform you that CMA yesterday lost a very dear member of our extended family. Ronald P. Bangasser, M.D., who served as our president in 2003-2004, passed away Wednesday morning in Redlands after his struggles with cancer. He was 57.

Dr. Bangasser, a family practitioner, was always an example of what a doctor should be, operating his wound care clinic, his practice, treating patients in the hospital, all the while serving his patients and colleagues through his advocacy for the CMA.

Dr. Bangasser practiced medicine since 1975 and was active in state and national medical societies for nearly 30 years, serving as speaker and vice speaker of the CMA House of Delegates and as past president of the San Bernardino County Medical Society. He served on the CMA Board of Trustees for eight years before taking office as president.

Dr. Bangasser also served energetically in multiple AMA leadership roles. He continued to be active in CMA and AMA after his presidency, and fought his illness all the way, even conducting a live radio interview on pay-for-performance from his hospital bed a few weeks ago. An accomplished scuba diver and instructor, he relished such experiences until his untimely death.

Dr. Bangasser is survived by his wife Susan, two daughters, Debbie Waxler and Sandi Bangasser, and his mother Florence Bangasser.

“Ron’s death is a tremendous loss to all of us – his family, his patients, his friends and colleagues, and all of medicine,” says CMA President Anmol S. Mahal, M.D. “Ron was always an example of what a doctor should be, operating his wound care clinic, his practice, treating patients in the hospital, all the while serving his patients and colleagues through his advocacy for the CMA.”

There will be a viewing on Sunday, May 6, from 12 pm to 2:30 pm, at Cortner Chapel, 221 Brookside Ave., Redlands. The memorial service will be later that day, 3 pm at the University of Redlands Memorial Chapel, 1200 E. Colton Ave., Redlands. A mass will be celebrated on Tuesday (details to follow).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Ronald P. Bangasser, MD, Medical Student Scholarship Fund, c/o the Physicians Memorial Gift and Benevolence Fund (PMGBF), 3993 Jurupa Avenue, Riverside, CA 92506