Eugene DiMagno

Eugene P. DiMagno (Gene) died peacefully on November 30, 2025. He was born in Hershey, Pennsylvania on January 3, 1937, to Saverio A. DiMagno and Anna (nee Casciotti) DiMagno. His father was an Italian immigrant who became a well-known artist. Gene graduated from Hershey Junior College (1956), Franklin and Marshall College (1958) and the University of Pennsylvania Medical School (1962). After an internship at Lancaster General Hospital, Dr. DiMagno served for 3 years as a Captain in the US Army Medical Corps and as the 547th Engineer Battalion Surgeon and the commander of the 19th Medical Detachment, 7th Army Headquarters in Germany. He subsequently completed an Internal Medicine Residency and a Gastroenterology Fellowship in the GI Research Unit at Mayo Clinic. In 1970, he was appointed a consultant in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic, becoming Professor of Medicine in 1980, Director of Mayo Serum Bank in 1985, Director of the GI Research Unit in 1994, and Director of the Mayo Foundation Office for Human Research Protection in 1999. He retired as Emeritus Professor of Medicine in 2002.

Dr. DiMagno was esteemed as an expert clinician, noted for bringing practical wisdom to the bedside, cultivating an effortless rapport with patients from varied backgrounds, and thereby demonstrating to trainees and peers the uniquely special role of the physician. These same profound clinical and humanistic skills transferred to a successful research career, where Gene was a globally recognized authority in pancreatic diseases. He was President of the American Pancreatic Association and the International Association of Pancreatology, and Chair of Pancreatic Disorders Section of the American Gastroenterology Association. He served as Associate Editor of Gastroenterology, and a Member of the Subspecialty Board of Gastroenterology, American Board of Internal Medicine. He published more than 300 scientific works, original papers, editorials, reviews, and book chapters. He received numerous national and international recognitions, culminating in the Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award.

Gene's most rewarding professional achievement was being a mentor to, and creating lasting friendships with, more than 60 research fellows from the USA and 16 other countries in North and South America, Europe, the Indian Subcontinent and Asia who came to work with him at the GI Research Unit at the Mayo Clinic. His fellows became Professors of Medicine including Division Chiefs and Department Chairs in the USA and abroad.

In addition to his passion for medicine, Gene had a lifelong interest in music and art. Growing up and through college he played the violin and percussion and sang in choirs and small groups. In Rochester he directed the St. Pius and St. John's choirs for four years. He loved opera and classical music, especially that of Verdi and Bach. He was an avid painter and created hundreds of works in various media. He loved teaching his grandchildren to paint and draw and create "terrific" works of art.

Gene loved life. He was warm and caring, and those who knew him were familiar with his joyful and distinctive laugh, one that certainly would have been evoked by this summary of his life: he loved wine, ONE woman, and song. Gene had abounding love for his family. Joanne, his wife of 66 years, supported him throughout his life and was primarily responsible for raising their children, of whom he was immensely proud. His twelve grandchildren brought him tremendous joy, and he loved spending time with them. Gene is survived by Joanne, his children and their spouses, Gene Jr. and Birgit, Steve and Susan, Ted and Lisa, Matt and Monica, Susie and Dan, and David, and eleven grandchildren Allyson, Eve, Kevin, Sarah, Charles, Elena, Dio, Allegra, Sam, Alex, and Lulu. Gene was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Ann, grandson Tyler, brother and sister-in-law Pascal and Margaret, and sister Serena.

A mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, December 13 at 11:00 am at the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 11 4th Ave. SW, Rochester MN, with visitation starting at 10:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Mayo Clinic Hospice.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the DiMagno family.