Ilie Magdea was born in Sibiu, Romania in 1936, the son of Maria and Ilarion Magdea.  He graduated from the University of Medicine in Cluj, Romania 1961 with a specialty in Pediatrics.

Dr. Magdea arrived in the United States in 1967 after defecting from then-
Communist Romania where he was a pediatric physician.  Upon his escape from Romania he was incarcerated in prison in Turkey until his background was verified. After being released he traveled thru Europe until gaining passage to New York City, where he worked in a factory until he received an invitation from a distant relative to come to Michigan.

Once in Michigan, through clandestine means, he was able to have a friend smuggle his Medical Diploma and other papers out of Communist Romania. With this documentation, he obtained and completed an approved three-year internship and residency in internal medicine at Oakwood Hospital as well as a two-year Fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at Henry Ford Hospital, gaining Board Certification.

Upon completion of his US training In 1975, he established Dearborn Allergy and Asthma Clinic, where he was eventually joined by Dr. James Fordyce and Dr. Diane Baranowski; the three doctors remained partners and good friends until his death. Dr. Magdea also was on the Medical Staff of (then) Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn and served as President of the Michigan Allergy and Asthma Society in the late 1980's. He was also active in and spent time volunteering at summer camps for children with severe asthma.

Over the years, while Romania remained a communist satellite, Dr. Magdea was very active in procuring medical supplies for hospitals and the medical community while the country struggled under communist rule.  With the help of his wife, Mary, he was gradually able to bring his mother as well as his sister and her family and one brother and his wife to the United States.  During this period he and Mary were also active at St. Mary's church in Dearborn and successfully petitioned the Vatican in Rome to approve a Bishop for the Romanian Catholic Church in Michigan.

Dr. Magdea is survived by his brother Laurean, his former wife Mary Magdea, his nephews, Michael Ghita, Mircea Ghita (Tanta), Codrut Magdea, Horatiu Magdea, Calin Magdea, and niece, Nina Hadbah and many great-nieces and nephews.

Visitation Sunday 2 pm – 8 pm with a 7pm Evening Service at the John N. Santeiu & Son Funeral Home, 1139 Inkster Road, Garden City (Between Ford Road and Cherry Hill). In State Monday 10am until the 10:30am Funeral Mass at St. Mary's Romanian Catholic Church, 823 S. Military, Dearborn.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, or St. Mary's Romanian Catholic Church.