Raoul Carubelli

Raoul Carubelli, 90, passed away on June 26, 2019 in Oklahoma City. He was born Raul Carubelli (the Spanish spelling) in Cordoba, Argentina to parents Juan Carubelli (a first-generation Argentinian from Italian immigrants native of Cremona, in Lombardy) and Josefina Aghem (born near Turin, in Piedmont, and brought to Argentina when she was 1 year old) on June 17, 1929. He served in the Argentine Army Engineers and was discharged as a Second Lieutenant in the reserves in 1949. Raoul received his primary and secondary education at Colegio Nacional de Monserrat (funded by the Jesuits in 1687, now part of the Federal Education System). He went to university at: Universidad Nacional de Cordoba (founded by the Jesuits in 1610, now part of the Federal Education System) where he earned degrees in Pharmacy (1953) and biochemistry (1955). He then received a scholarship to attend graduate school at the University of Minnesota (1956-1957). Raoul received a two-year scholarship in 1953 as the laboratory teaching assistant in Pharmacy, and again in 1955 for the Biochemistry department. These scholarships were awarded to the two graduates with the highest-grade point average of their promotion. He received a Diploma of Special Mention (University Prize) in 1956, a Research Career Development Award (which is the highest award of the U.S. National Institutes of Health) on January 1, 1968 – December 31, 1972, and is listed in Who's Who in the South and Southwest. He became a U.S. citizen in 1966. Raoul was a Laboratory instructor, for the University of Cordoba, 1953-1956; Research Scientist at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation 1957-1994, and at the Dean A. McGee Eye Institute 1986-1994. He taught Biochemistry courses at Medical School, Dental School, and Graduate College of the University of Oklahoma. He has more than 100 scientific publications and five U.S. Patents. Raoul was a member of the American Chemical Society (Emeritus); American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and served as the Secretary-Treasurer 1978-79 and President from 1979-80 of The Blue Cord (an academic society with membership interested in biological sciences, as well as basic and clinical-medical sciences). He took Sabbatical leaves to the Max Planck Institute for Virus Research in Tubingen, Germany from 1963-64, and the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany from 1976-77. Raoul traveled the World to present scientific reports at International Meetings; Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, England, Sweden, Poland, and Israel are just a few of the locations. He also enjoyed traveling with his family and took them to many exciting places around the world, Alaska, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Gibraltar, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Turkey, Jamaica, Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile are some of the locations he choose to vacation with his beloved family. Raoul hobbies were fishing, hunting, and Letters to the Editor of the Daily Oklahoman. Raoul married Barbara Rose Waken on January 24, 1959. Besides his loving wife he is survived by his son Michael L. Carubelli, daughter Cecilia Carubelli Guthrie, M.D. and her husband Tim; grandchildren Michael Brandon Carubelli and Adam Michael Carubelli; great grandchildren; sister-in-law Norma Mealla Carubelli; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Bob and Josephine Haddad; and nieces and nephews in Cordoba, Argentina, Oklahoma City, and Canada. The family extends their thanks and appreciation to his physicians, Dr. Rakesh Prasad and Dr. Khan and the Integris Baptist Hospital staff of the 6th and 8th floor ICU, Visiting Angels, Sheli Ross with Sooner Hospice and Pam McCool for the wonderful and loving care they provided Raoul. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are asked to be directed to Catholic Charities and/or the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. An Evening Prayer service will be 6:00 pm, Monday, July 1, 2019 at Smith and Kernke 23rd street chapel. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 am, Tuesday July 2, 2019 at Christ the King Church.