Tomi Lin Bortolazzo
Tomi Lin (“Tomi”) Bortolazzo, 53, who was born and raised in Santa Barbara and practiced medicine and surgery for 21 years, died October 13. She died unexpectedly of natural causes at her family home in Mammoth Lakes, CA.
She was the daughter of Thomas Bortolazzo of Santa Barbara and Ara McDavid Fancher Croce of El Granada, CA.
At the time of her death, Tomi was Chief of Staff at Mammoth Hospital in Mammoth Lakes and a member of the medical staff at Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop. Before moving to Mammoth, Tomi practiced for 11 years with the San Antonio Urology Medical Group in Upland. In 2002, she became the first woman and youngest person ever to serve as Chief of Staff at San Antonio Community Hospital.
In addition to her career in medicine and surgery, Tomi was an instrument rated pilot and gifted athlete, and a particularly fine skier. It was her love of skiing, the mountains and the outdoors that led her to move with her husband and children to Mammoth Lakes in 2005. Besides skiing, she and her family enjoyed hiking, fishing, snowmobiling, waterskiing and motocross.
Tomi was born on January 16, 1962 in Santa Barbara where she attended Cold Spring School, Marymount, and graduated in 1979 from Santa Barbara High School. She received her undergraduate degree in biochemistry and cell biology from UC San Diego in 1984, her medical degree from Chicago Medical School at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in 1988 and completed her residency in surgery and urology at Loma Linda University Medical Center. She was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and was certified by the American Board of Urology.
In addition to her parents, Tomi is survived by her husband Ron Malm, sons Randy and Russell, grandmother Joyce McDavid Douglas, stepfather Rich Croce; brother Aaron Bortolazzo, sister-in-law Yolon Bortolazzo and their children Janelle, Patricia and Matthew and their families; sister Alessandra Bortolazzo; brother Keith Croce and sister Carolyn Cullins and their families; uncle and aunt Kenneth and Kathy Bortolazzo and their family; uncle Fred Rogers and his family; aunts Marcia McDavid, Marianne Daughty, Ehrin Abram and uncle Alex McDavid and their families; cousins Michelle Savoy and Ariana Barrett; and paternal relatives in Crespano del Grappa, Italy.
Beyond her personal achievements, she was very proud of her family and their successes. Her son Randy, a former member of the Mammoth Ski Team, is a recent graduate of Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her son Russell was recently named to the United States Ski Team and will be participating in the Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway in February, 2016.
A celebration of Tomi’s life will be held on Sunday, October 25 at 2:00 p.m. at the Main Lodge of Mountainside Conference Center, 10001 Minaret Rd., Mammoth Lakes, 93546. Rev. Fred C. Plumer will lead the gathering.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Mammoth Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 660, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 (mammothhospital.com) or Mammoth Lakes Foundation, P.O. Box 1815, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 (mammothlakesfoundation.org).
All who knew Tomi recognized the purpose, clarity and decisiveness with which she filled her days. Friends, relatives and patients admired the cool calm and confidence with which she navigated the challenges of life. Time and again, seemingly oblivious to difficulties and hazards, she performed while we felt privileged to act as witnesses.