Roland M.D.

CAMBRIDGE – Roland E. Houle, M.D., 83, of Cambridge and Quincy, passed away on May 16, 2018, at the Elizabeth Evarts de Rham Hospice Home in Cambridge, MA.

He was the devoted son of the late Ingrid (Gust) Houle and Roland E. Houle. He leaves his loving cousins; Marianne Haroian and her husband Robert Haroian of Auburn, Marjorie Reyer and her husband John Reyer D.P.M. of Pennsylvania, Martha Tomashek and her husband William of Minnesota, Victor Gust of Naples, FL, and Arlene Strah of Norton Shores, MI.

Other cousins include Barbara Quinn and her husband Edward of Chelmsford, Maureen Sinacola and her husband Ralph of North Attleboro, and Stephen Collins and his wife Mary of Monks Corner, SC. He was predeceased by Gerard J. Houle of North Oxford, MA, with whom he attended St. Peter’s Grammar and High School, Charles A. Houle and Nancy Benedict. He also leaves two long time and very close friends, Fr. Thaddeus X. Stachura and Thomas Stachura of Auburn, MA.

Roland was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and lived during his youth in Worcester. He was a 1952 graduate of St. Peter’s High School, a 1956 graduate of Holy Cross College, and a 1960 graduate of Harvard Medical School. He did his internship-rotating and residency-Internal Medicine one year each at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. He also did his residency in Ophthalmology and was a Fellow in glaucoma at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston. Later he both practiced and taught at Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary. Roland served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam as an eye surgeon. He was frequently requested to assist the ENT surgeon in repairing anterior facial and skull fractures. For his many years of services under perilous conditions he received the Bronze Star. Following his military service, Roland practiced ophthalmological surgery for many years in the Boston area.

Among the countless patients Roland cared for over the many years of private practice, one patient signed a baseball and gave it to him with the inscription, “To my favorite eye Doctor, Dr. Roland Houle, All good wishes Dom Dimaggio.”

Although lauded by many prominent patients, one of Roland’s greatest joys came from his medical service to the poor of the Philippines where for 20 years he brought sight to many cataract patients through his work with Restoring Sight International.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated on Monday, June 4, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 353 Grove Street, Worcester, MA. Burial was held at an earlier date in Canton, MA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, 1140 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60607.