Hernando Jose Ortega

Dr. Hernando J. Ortega passed away peacefully at Emory University Hospital Midtown on Apr 16, 2015. Hernando was born in Cucuta, Colombia on Oct 22, 1928 to Maria Luisa Pulido and Moises Ortega-Lleras. He completed his Doctorate of Medicine from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and worked for the Rockefeller Foundation studying malaria near the Amazon. After studying English at University of Michigan, he completed internship in General Surgery at Nashville General Hospital and St Elizabeth's in Covington, OH. During this period, he met and married Marine Denney of Donelson, TN in Dec 1956. The couple moved to Atlanta where he completed General Surgery residency at Crawford Long Hospital and began private medical practice. In addition to medicine, Tego (as he was known by family and friends) loved snow skiing, collecting stamps, traveling, and hosting people at his camphouse in Ellijay, GA. Dr. Ortega is survived by his wife, Marine; his sister Betty Gongora and his brother Eduardo of Bogota, Colombia; his son Colonel H. J. Joe Ortega, Jr., and daughter-in-law Holly Ortega of San Antonio, TX; his daughter Liz Ortega and son-in-law Josh Bryan of Atlanta; his grandchildren, Heather, Joey, Hunter and Hannah Ortega of San Antonio; and Kate and Austin Bryan of Atlanta; and countless nieces, nephews and extended family all of whom he loved dearly. The family will receive visitors on Monday Apr 20, 2015 from 6:30 to 8:30pm at A.S. Turner and Sons, 2773 N. Decatur Road, Decatur, GA 30033. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, Apr 21st at 11:00am at St Thomas More Catholic Church, 636 W Ponce De Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030. Inurnment will follow at Decatur City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 760 Pollard Blvd SW, Atlanta, GA 30315.

Funeral Home:
A.S. Turner
2773 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033