In Loving Memory of Dr. Jorge Santiago Vidal

May 25, 1931 – April 27,2025

Jorge S. Vidal, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and a pediatrician, passed away peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and a life marked by caring for others, humility, and unwavering kindness.

Born in Havana, Cuba, Jorge had a heart as warm as the Caribbean sun and a spirit just as bright. He went from the University of Havana to the University of Madrid and Salamanca for medical school, then crossed the ocean again to complete his pediatric training at St Mary’s Hospital and Tampa General Hospital. The family moved to St Petersburg in 1968 where he was the Director of the Outpatient Clinics at All Children’s Hospital for several years. His journey was long, but his purpose was always clear: to care for children, especially those who needed him the most.

And care he did—with gentleness, devotion, and a steady, compassionate presence. He took on some of the toughest cases—children with cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease—often when no one else would. After retiring from private practice in St Petersburg, he spent 5 years as the Clinical Coordinator at the Florida Community Health Center in Indiantown taking care of immigrant children. His patients and their families knew they had someone special in their corner, and generations of children grew up healthier and happier because of him.

But Jorge’s gift wasn’t just his medical knowledge. It was his easygoing personality, his gentle way of making anyone feel at ease, and his ability to make people smile even in the hardest moments. He was the kind of person you were lucky to meet once in a lifetime—and even luckier if you got to know him.

He was married to the love of his life, Adela, for an incredible 69 years. Together, they raised four children, Rosa, Flor, Jorge and Helena and were blessed with five grandchildren, Sophia, Elsa, Javier, Ava Sophia and Diego. His family was the heart of his world, and nothing made him prouder than watching them grow and thrive.

Those who knew Jorge will remember his stories, his quiet strength, his steady kindness, and the way he lit up a room with a simple smile. His legacy lives on in every child he helped, every parent he comforted, and every person who had the privilege of knowing him.

We will miss him dearly—but we’ll carry his memory with us, always.

“To laugh often and love much… to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—this is to have succeeded.” 

Jorge Vidal succeeded in every way that mattered.

Excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson

Funeral Mass will be 11:00 AM Saturday, May 24, 2025 at St. Raphael Church, St. Petersburg, FL.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Direct Relief. (link at the bottom of this page)