Dr. Vega, star lover, naturalist, dies at 64 By Patty Machelor ARIZONA DAILY STAR Dr. Luis Eduardo Vega, a prominent Tucson pathologist and amateur astronomer, died Tuesday of complications from brain cancer. He was 64. Vega, who was born in the Dominican Republic, is remembered for his pioneering work in medicine as well as his passion for his family, his community, the ocean and the stars. "My dad was a man of many interests. He was an avid and accomplished amateur naturalist and has discovered at least one unique species of shell," said his son, Eduardo Robert Vega, 37, of Philadelphia. "He was also an accomplished scuba diver and developed, after moving to Arizona, a passion for astronomy." Vega attended medical school in Spain and completed his residency at Ohio's Cleveland Clinic. There, he met his wife, Patricia, a critical care nurse. Vega co-founded Tucson Pathology Associates and started the Skywatcher's Inn, a bed-and-breakfast observatory just southeast of Benson. David Levy, who belonged to the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, said music from "2001: A Space Odyssey" plays when the dome opens at Vega's observatory. "He had a very powerful, forward way about him and when the dome opened, he knew it was a big thing and so even if it was every night, he had the music playing," said Levy, science editor for Parade Magazine. Dr. David Couch, president of Tucson Pathology Associates and medical director of pathology at El Dorado Hospital, practiced with Vega for 20 years before Vega retired two years ago. "I would say that Ed was an outstanding man and physician and humanitarian," Couch said. Vega did "ground-breaking research" in the study of prostatitis, which is swelling and pain beneath the bladder where the prostate gland is located, Dr. John W. Polacheck said. Vega is also survived by his wife, Patricia Vega, and their daughters, Dr. Maria Teresa Robinson and Jennifer Alexandra Vega, both of Tucson, and Rebecca Lisette Vega of Monterey, Calif. Visitation will be held at Bring's Broadway Chapel, 6910 E. Broadway, from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 1375 S. Camino Seco. * Contact reporter Patty Machelor at 807-7789 or pmachelo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please send personal replies to the author, not the list.