Daniel Corneja Prieto, Jr., M.D.

Dr. Daniel Corneja Prieto, Jr., M.D. passed away peacefully on the morning of October 16 in his home in Gainesville, VA. Dan was born on September 30, 1937 on the island of Panay in the Philippines to parents Daniel Sr. and Isabel Prieto. After attending high school locally, he moved to Manila, where he attended college for pre-medical studies and ultimately received his M.D. from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine in 1963. Dan then relocated to the U.S. where he completed his surgical residency in 1968, but not before meeting the beautiful Nycthia Prieto (“Nikki”) whom he married on September 24, 1966, the start of a lifetime of love, dedication and laughter. The couple settled in Northern Virginia, where Dan established his surgical practice and became a pioneer in the newly emerging field of emergency medicine. In 1971, he founded Potomac Emergency Associates with three physician colleagues, solely dedicated to the practice of emergency medicine at the newly constructed Potomac Hospital in Woodbridge, Virginia. At that time, the concept of full-time emergency physicians was in its infancy, and emergency medicine would not become a formalized specialty until 1980. To meet a growing demand, the practice more than doubled in size under his leadership, before Dan retired into a life of spur-of-the-moment travel adventures with his beloved wife Nikki and their many friends. Community involvement was a priority for Dan in both his personal and professional life. He is remembered for volunteer work with the Woodbridge Lions club, as well as his deep involvement with the Philippine Medical Association, which promotes the interests of Filipino-American physicians, while providing cultural enrichment to younger generations of Filipino-Americans. At various times, he was an avid tennis player and fan; master of weekend brunch, summer barbecue and precision sandwich making; virtuoso whistler and tune-hummer; zen gardener, antiques aficionado, Sharper Image devotee, and lover of sports cars (Mustangs and Mercedes only, please). He leaves behind Nikki, his loving and devoted wife of 47 years; daughter Nerissa (Vince), sons Dan (Adele) and David (Cynthia), and grandchildren Paris, Segen and Simon; brother Pat (Magdalena), sister Elvira and their families. He also leaves behind a legacy of the things that he held dear: family, hard work, humor (always) and a passion of caring for others. We will miss his spontaneity, his easy smile and laughing eyes, his wry, gently sarcastic sense of humor and appreciation of all things funny and ironic. He will be remembered by his friends as “Dapper Dan” for his sartorial elegance, and by his children as the dad who (wink, wink) paid for medical school by training lions at the circus. We love you and thank you for years of loving and laughing together, and for all you have given us as a selfless and caring husband, much-adored father and grandfather, fun-loving friend, and servant of your patients and the community. Viewing and prayer services will be held at Pierce Funeral Home 9609 Center St, Manassas, VA, (703) 257-6028 on Sunday, October 20 at 3pm and 7pm. Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, October 21 at 3pm at Holy Trinity Church in Gainesville. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a contribution through wife Nikki to the establishment of the Daniel C. Prieto, Jr., M.D. foundation, providing financial assistance to aspiring student physicians in Dr. Prieto’s home province in the Philippines. We welcome all friends and family to submit online condolences through his obituary postings at piercefh.com or legacy.com.

Daniel Corneja Prieto, Jr., M.D.

September 30, 1937 - October 16, 2013