Physician who helped separate conjoined Tulsa twins dies

<br>(Oklahoma City-AP) -- One of the two doctors who performed Oklahoma's first operation to separate conjoined twins, has died. <br><br>Doctor Edwin ``Ide'' Smith died yesterday in Dallas

Thursday, August 7th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- One of the two doctors who performed Oklahoma's first operation to separate conjoined twins, has died.

Doctor Edwin ``Ide'' Smith died yesterday in Dallas at age 79.

Smith and Doctor Donald Halverstadt performed surgery in 1970 on Victoria and Veronica Tieaskie of Tulsa. The girls were joined at the pelvis and Veronica did not survive.

Victoria now lives in Oklahoma City and works in the kidney dialysis unit at St. Anthony Hospital.

Smith was chairman of pediatric surgery at the University of Oklahoma Medical College for 17 years. He left for the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in 1989.

Funeral services will be Saturday in Dallas.