ELIAS L D DIA
May 4, 2014
Elias L D Dia, 78, of Matlacha, FL passed away Sunday, May 4, 2014 in Columbia, SC where he was with his family. He was born in the Philippines to Leonardo G. and Luisita Duran Dia in 1935. He was the youngest of 4 children. He is predeceased by his beloved parents and his brother Januario. Dr. Dia graduated from Far Eastern University in Manila and did his post graduate training in Family Medicine & Pediatrics in Jacksonville, FL and Norfolk, VA. 
Elias, also known as "Doc", "Dr. Dia", "Ely", or just "El", made his home in Matlacha for over 40 years where he practiced medicine in a country doctor style, even making house calls. Matlacha was a perfect fit for Dr. Dia as he was an avid fisherman, cook, and gardener.
His most memorable trait was his genuine love and passion for helping others. He was endeared by his patients for having a high quality of care, relaxed and caring bedside manner, and making connections where patients were regarded as friends, not clients. In the end, the thing that led him to medicine was fulfilled by the service he rendered in Matlacha and the wonderful people he met, influenced, and learned from along the way.
He leaves his son, Bayani (Yan), daughter in law, Tina, 3 grandchildren Gordon, Illia, and Vincent and his siblings Leonardo (Len) and Vita (Nen).
Services are scheduled at the Coral Ridge Funeral Home and Cemetery, 1630 SW Pine Island Road in Cape Coral on Tuesday, May 13, 2014. A gathering will start at 10:00am with memorial services at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his name to The American Bible College in Pineland, The Matlacha Civic Association, or Fellow Islanders Sending Help (F.I.S.H.). Please visit www.coralridgefuneralhome.com to leave thoughts and memories for his family.
Quoting from the May 16, 1973 issue of the Pine Island News:
The Island is to have a new resident doctor, Luis D. Dia, M.D. who has come to the island from Salisbury, M.D., where he spent the last 2 ½ years in general practice.
Dr. Dia received his M.D. degree from the Far Eastern University in Marila in the Philippines. His post-graduate training in U.S. included 1 year residency with 2 years of general practice in Norfolk, Virginia. He is licensed to practice medicine in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida.
His wife Linda is a native of Norfolk, Va. and is a registered nurse. They have a son, Bayani, who is 25 months.
Dr. Dia’s aspiration has always been to be a country doctor, and last year his family came to Florida looking for a spot for him to settle down in and build up a practice. They chose Pine Island because of the charming atmosphere and the people. “We love the weather, the water and we love seafood,” said Luis, “and we have applied for membership with the Lee County Medical Society and also the Florida medical Society.
Editor’s note:
The local news media often refer to Dr. Dia as being the first trained, licensed physician to practice on Pine Island. This is certainly not the case. Also fondly remembered was Robert Peterson, Jr., D.O. , who was known for making the long lost art of “house-calls” and began practice on Pine Island around 1960. And we suspect there may have been a couple of physicians who probably retired to Pine Island before Peterson.
