Leticia DeCastro

Leticia V. DeCastro, 88, of Middlesex County New Jersey, passed away peacefully on November 15, 2022 amongst her family and close friends.  She was born in Manila, Philippines to the late Lorenzo and Leoncia Villanueva on June 1, 1934.  Leticia attended Muntinlupa High School and went on to The University of Santo Tomas where she earned her degree as a Doctor of Medicine.  She immigrated to Coney Island in Brooklyn NY for her residency before commencing her practice at St Peter’s Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ and JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ.

Leticia met her late husband, Jose Arenas DeCastro at the University of Santo Tomas. Together they practiced medicine in Middlesex County, New Jersey until his passing in 1982.  Having survived Jose, she also pursued endeavors in charitable works as the Chairperson of the APPA Foundation.  Leticia was also actively involved in Medical societies on the state and national level as a past president of the APPA, PAMS- NJ, Middlesex Country Medical Society and as a delegate to the Medical Society of New Jersey and a state delegate to the American Medical Association.  She was also the chief medical officer for the Board of Education for Edison Township, NJ.  A life long philanthropist, her life’s passion was to assist the impoverished of her home country through her annual Medical Missions that she had conceived and then led through medical care, food and education.  She opened the HTP-APPA clinic in Payatas, Quezon City, Philippines as the headquarters of the her missionary work which often involved healthcare professionals from the Philippines and United States as well as volunteers and medical students, both local and abroad.

Leticia is survived by her sister, Elvira Limjuco and brother Bal Villanueva as well as her three sons, George, Jason and Joel and many other cherished family members and friends.

Visitation Friday November 18, 2022 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at the Gosselin Funeral Home 660 New Dover Road, Edison. Funeral visitation will be Saturday November 19, 2022 from 8:30am to 9:30am at the funeral home followed by a 10:00am Mass at St Helena Church, Edison. Interment will be at St Gertrude Cemetery Colonia, NJ following the funeral service.

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