Dr. Joseph DeBlase grew up in Schenectady with his life long friend, Dr. Joseph Vacca (Dr. William Vacca‘s father). Together, they attended Union College and St. Louis University Medical School. They both returned to Schenectady to practice which was then interrupted by their service in World War II. Dr. DeBlase reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonal. Dr. Deblase and Dr. Morris Shapiro were the first cardiologists in Schenectady. Together, they set up the first CCU at St. Clare’s Hospital in 1967.
Dr. DeBlase went on to become Chief of Medicine and Chief of Cardiology at St. Clare’s. He wrote a book on EKG interpretation. He taught an annual EKG course to the nurses at the hospital. He was well respected for his expertise, friendly disposition and caring bedside manor. When Drs. Vacca and Lindenberg started their practice in 1983, Dr. DeBlase began transferring his patients to their practice.
He was honored https://heartdocs-history.com/st-clares-hospital-spirit-of-healing-award/with the first annual St. Clare’s Hospital Spirit of Healing Award in 1995. He passed away in 2004 at age 92.