Newburyport - Dr. Guillermo Mateo, 102, passed away at Port Healthcare Center in Newburyport, MA, surrounded by his family.

Born near Salinas, Puerto Rico, Guillo was the second youngest of ten children and spent his childhood on his family's farm. Despite early "rambunctious" years skipping school, Guillo graduated high school as valedictorian. He attended the University of Puerto Rico, then the University of Chicago, earning a B.S. in 1944 and an M.D. in 1948, graduating first in his class. There he met his beloved wife of 63 years, Grace (Bunnie). They became lab partners, fast friends, and later partners in medicine. As an Air Force officer in the Korean War, Guillo lived and practiced emergency medicine in a MASH unit on the front line. He was wounded in action after volunteering to fly missions with the fighter pilots in his care, and was awarded a Bronze Medal for heroic service in a combat zone. Guillo and Bunnie settled in St. Paul, MN, where he built a private practice for a diverse community of area residents. He was beloved by his patients, for whom he cared regardless of their ability to pay. Later, Bunnie joined his practice as an early nurse practitioner in the area. Together they taught at the University of MN's Nurse Practitioner program. After raising their family of three children, Guillo and Bunnie retired to SC, where they were renowned for gathering old and new friends of all ages over wonderful meals they cooked together. They loved traveling to visit their children and grandchildren in the U.S. and Russia, where Guillo enjoyed playing games and family tennis, and attending school events. Guillo played tennis into his mid-90's and skied his last season at age 86.

After Bunnie passed away in 2012, Guillo moved to Newburyport to be near his daughter's family. In his last four years Guillo lived at Port Healthcare, where the staff became loving extended family to him. Guillo is survived by sons William (Tanya) of Moscow, Russia, John Mateo of San Francisco, CA, daughter Victoria (William) Mateo Lincoln of Newburyport, MA, and three beloved grandchildren, Polina Mateo, Mateo Lincoln, and Samuel Lincoln. A celebration of Guillo's life will be held in St. Paul, MN in June, 2024. For a full obituary go to www.directcremationseacoast.com.