Dr. Robert L. Stevens

Robert Louis Stevens, M.D. was born in Oskaloosa, Kansas, on January 14, 1923, the son of Dr. Delos Meeker Stevens M.D., and Blanche Estelle (Combs) Stevens. He attended grade and high school in Oskaloosa where he was valedictorian of his high school class. He attended the University of Kansas where he earned a B.A. in 1944 and an M.D. in 1947. He was elected to the honorary scholastic fraternities Phi Beta Kappa in college and Alpha Omega Alpha in medical school. He did a rotating internship at the University of Kansas Medical Center from 1947 to 1948. On April 4, 1947, he married Mildred Irene Julius, M.D. of Lindsborg, Kansas. This union was blessed with five children. Following a locum tenens in Ulysses, Kansas, Robert and Mildred moved to Garnett, Kansas on November 11, 1948, where they joined Dr. Ralph White in the Medical Center Clinic doing General Practice. In 1950, they established their own medical practice. Robert served in the United States Army from 1951 to 1952 as 1st Lieutenant when he was honorably discharged. In the 1950's and early 1960's, he took several courses in Obstetrics and General Surgery at the Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Robert was a brilliant doctor and a lifetime student of medicine, religion, philosophy. He especially enjoyed studying golf and the golf swing and intended to write a book when he had the philosophy and mechanics perfected. He considered his major contributions to society to be his children and publishing the Pictorial History and Folklore of Anderson County Kansas. He also published a book of short stories for his sister in 1997 which is Margaret Victoria's Short Stories by Margaret Victoria Stevens Baker Hundley, R.N. Dr. Stevens was a life-time member of the Presbyterian Church, serving two three year terms as Trustee; long time member of the American Medical Association; The Kansas Medical Society; and the Anderson County Medical Society. He was also a member of the Chamber of Commerce for several years serving as President for two years. He was preceded in death by his parents and a stillborn son, Paul, on December 11, 1948, a sister, Margaret Victoria Baker and a brother, Willliam Delos Stevens. Dr. Stevens is survived by his wife, Mildred Julius Stevens M.D., of the home; five children, Laura Bea Stevens M.D. and husband, Buzz Bryan, of Los Altos, California; Victor Louis Stevens M.D. and wife, Loren, of Universal City, Texas; Rhoads Elliott Stevens M.D. and wife, Carin, of Honolulu, Hawaii; Leah Jane Stevens Waage M.D. and husband, Colonel Kato Waage, of Leavenworth, Kansas; and James David Stevens (J.D.) M.B.A. and wife, Susan, of Shawnee, Kansas; nine grandsons, Beau Stevens Bryan; R. Elliot Stevens II; William Stevens McCollum; John David McCollum; James Robert McCollum; Carl Stevens Waage; Bradley Joseph Stevens; Jason Lunyee Chan; and Trevor James Stevens; five granddaughters, LauraMae Stevens Bryan; Veronica Elisa Stevens; Vanessa Malia Stevens; Marie Elaine Stevens; and Paige Elisabeth Stevens; a sister, Marie Stevens Huey and a brother Philip Lindburgh Stevens, M.D., both of Tonganoxie, Kansas. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 13, 2009 at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, Garnett, Kansas. Interment will follow in the Garnett Cemetery. The family will be present to greet friends from 6:00 - 8:00 PM, Thursday evening at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the KU Endowment Association, 3903 Rainbow Blvd, MS 3012, K.C., KS 66103-9975, Department of Family Medicine, In Memory of Robert Louis Stevens, MD, or may be sent in care of the funeral home.