Obituary of Robert Evers MD

DYERSVILLE, IOWA Dr. Robert N. Evers, Robert Neale Evers, M.D., 90, of Vero Beach, FL and formerly of Toledo, OH and Dyersville, IA died Thurs. Nov. 28, 2013, in Vero Beach. Friends may call from 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, at the Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. Dennis Quint will officiate and American Legion Post 137 will accord Military Honors. Bob was born to Stella (Cunningham) and Edward Evers in Dyersville, Iowa on June 20, 1923. His birth certificate listed him as Neal Owen, but everyone called him Bobby. A Dyersville Commercial clipping from 1925 mentioned Bobby Evers found after being lost for three hours on the farm. His tracks were followed up a creek 2 miles before finding the tired 2 year old on a haystack with his dog. Bobby was a farm boy who loved to wrestle with pigs in the mud when he was 5. He rode his pony, milked cows, tended the chickens and worked as a man when he was a boy as was common in the Depression. His parents Edward and Stella Evers sold the farm and moved to town when he was 14 for a better education for their children. Although Bob excelled in music and sports, his academic attributes were held suspect by his high school teacher, Sister Sixtus. Years later, when she asked whatever became of him, she was astounded to learn that he had gone to Loras College (1944), Washington University School of Medicine (1948), and was a practicing psychiatrist. Bob served in both the Navy and Army while going to school and had over 10 years of combined active and reserve duty. Bob married Gloria Elizabeth Mueller (also known as Betty) daughter of Clara and Emil Mueller M.D. of Dyersville in 1946. Although classmates through school years, they did not start dating until he was on leave from the Navy; their first date, he took her to Illinois, where they could get a drink. They were married 65 years and she preceded him in death in 2011. Bob and Betty had four children, three of whom survive: He is survived by Robert J. (Anne Hoffman) Evers, MD of Park City, Utah, Mari (Randy) Koepke of Sebastian, Florida, and James (Gail) Evers of Honolulu, Hawaii, a son-in-law, Mark Spodnik of Milford, Conneticut and nine grandchildren. He is also preceded in death by a daughter, Ann Elizabeth Evers Spodnik, MD, who died in 2010, a sister, Mary Jane (Dolly) Schuster, two brothers: Thomas C. Evers and John Edward Evers, two sisters-in-law, Mary Lou Evers and Audrey Evers, and a brother-in-law Walter J. Schuster. Dr. Evers was trained in both neurology and psychiatry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He experienced the transition from psychoanalysis, electroshock therapy, and frontal lobotomy to behavioral and cognitive counseling, and modern psycho-pharmaceutical treatment. Dr. Evers had a private practice in psychiatry in Toledo, Ohio, from 1955 until retirement in 1990. He was on the staff of St. Vincent's Hospital, Toledo Hospital, and St Charles Hospital. Dr. Evers loved music including swing and Dixie land jazz. He played in several bands including one with his brother-in-law Wally Schuster of Dyersville. He played the clarinet and saxophone. He was an athlete excelling in baseball, golf, skiing and running. He had an offer from the Chicago White Sox to play catcher in their farm system. But he was determined to go to medical school instead. He was also a good "hitter" on the basketball team in high school with more fouls than points. He had a life-long passion for golf and belonged to Inverness Country Club in Toledo, Ohio; he won several flight championships despite holding the golf club like a baseball bat. He also became a championship runner at age 56 when arthritis in his hands precluded golf. He was Master Runner of the Year in 1984 for Northwest Ohio. He won his age group at the Bix7 in Davenport, a National Class Race, at age 70. Dr. Evers moved to both Davenport, Iowa, and Vero Beach, Florida, in 1991. He returned to live in Toledo briefly from 1997 until 2002. At that point he moved to Vero Beach full time. He survived 2 ½ years with bile duct cancer and received excellent care from his doctors and hospice. Survival with this cancer is as rare as finding a needle in that haystack. He will return to be buried in Dyersville, with his parents, all his siblings, his wife and his daughter Ann. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.