Mark Praeger, MD'68
Dr. Praeger writes to us “enjoying retirement with wife, Sandy.”

Michael Beezley, MD’73
After graduation, Dr. Michael Beezley completed his internship and residency in general surgery at Travis AFB (Air Force Base) in California. He then completed a fellowship in vascular surgery at the University of California, Irvine. After 15 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force, he resigned and began a private practice in vascular surgery in Kansas City. He retired in 2019. Dr. Beezley and his wife Linda live in western Lenexa, KS. He enjoys gardening and golfing, as well as spending time in Breckenridge, CO, skiing, golfing, and hiking.

John F. Coyle, MD’73
Dr. John Coyle practiced cardiology in Tulsa, Oklahoma until he retired a few years ago. His wife Kathie is an attorney in Tulsa who specializes in estate planning and tax-exempt organizations. They have three sons and eight grandchildren. In his free time, Dr. Coyle enjoys building computers. A software program that he created was adopted by several hospitals.

Robert Maxwell, MD’73
Dr. Robert Maxwell completed his pediatric residency at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City in 1976. He started his own practice, Shawnee Mission Pediatrics, in June 1979 and retired in June 2012. He married Nanette Guignon, RN, in 1976. They have four sons and 12 grandchildren. Dr. Maxwell and Nanette moved to a condo at the Country Club Plaza in January 2022 after 45 years of lawns, gutters, etc. He enjoys spending time with grandchildren, hiking, traveling, fly fishing, bird hunting, and restoring a 1959 Porsche.

Douglas McNeal, MD’73
Dr. Douglas McNeal specializes in pediatrics and is a developmental pediatrician consultant for the Autism Evaluation Clinic. Prior to consulting, he worked in general pediatric practice for 30 years in Springfield, MO. Dr. McNeal has been married to his wife Susan for 49 years and has one daughter and two grandchildren. In his free time, Dr. McNeal enjoys playing tennis, fishing, volunteering and spending time with his grandchildren.

Mark Osborn, MD’73
Dr. Mark Osborn’s specialty was internal medicine. He became VP for Medical Affairs for Foundation Health Systems and later worked as a VP for Medical Affairs for VHA, a network of 1,500 not-for-profit hospitals. Dr. Osborn is now retired. He and his wife Susan have three kids and seven grandchildren. He lives in Oregon during the summer to be closer to his grandchildren. He spends eight months out of the year in Lawrence, staying active with educational programs, teaching sex-ed classes to middle school children, playing bridge and going to KU football, basketball, and volleyball games.

Peggy Rate, MD’73
Dr. Peggy Rate worked in private practice at Hutchinson Clinic in Hutchinson, Kansas from 1980 to 2006. She retired in June 2006. She and her husband (and fellow ‘73 classmate), Dr. Robert Rate, have four children and seven grandchildren. She enjoys flower gardening and volunteering as a mentor and ultrasonographer.

Robert Rate, MD’73
Dr. Robert Rate specialized in internal medicine. He completed an internship at LAG-USC and his residency at the University of Iowa. He practiced at Hutchinson Clinic in Hutchinson, Kansas from 1980 until he retired in 2008. He and his wife (and fellow ‘73 classmate), Dr. Peggy Rate, have four children and seven grandchildren. He enjoys reading and spending time with his family.

Walter Raymond Ross, Jr., MD'73
Dr. Ross writes to us: “Retired in 2016, 56 years with Linda, 4 kids, 4grands, woodworking, work out at the “Y” three times a week.”.

Thomas Snyder, MD’73
Following medical school, Dr. Thomas Snyder completed an obstetrics and gynecology residency and gynecology surgical fellowship at the KU School of Medicine. His practice locations included the U.S. Air Force, Mowery Clinic, KU School of Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, and North Carolina Baptist Hospital. He retired and moved to Manhattan, KS in 2013. He and his wife Teresa have two daughters and two grandsons. In 2021, they moved to the farm near Mankato, KS, while building a home in Wichita to be closer to advanced medical care and their kids.

Ross Stadalman, MD’73
Dr. Ross Stadalman’s specialty was general surgery. He practiced for two years at USAF Hospital McConnell AFB, and then practiced 34 years in Hays, KS (with Mike Lasley, MD’71 the entire time!). Dr. Stadalman retired in 2014. He married Marti Lederer in 1978; they have one daughter by first marriage and a daughter and son by second. They have 10 grandchildren. They retired to Olathe, KS in 2016 to be closer to family. Hobbies include reading, hunting, fishing, golf, and coaching trap shooting to Eudora High School students.

Louise Bednar Terrill, MD’73
Dr. Louise Bednar Terrill practiced internal medicine in Washington, D.C., and Houston, TX. She retired in 2022. For the last 18 years, she was an associate professor at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. She’s been married 50 years to Rev. Dr. Jerry Terrill. They have a son and a daughter, both living in Austin, TX, and both in academia. She enjoys retirement by spending time and traveling with her family, keeping in touch with friends, and creating fiber art.

Gregory Thomas, MD’73
Dr. Gregory Thomas’ specialty was family medicine. He currently practices in McPherson, KS. He and his wife Kathy have three children and five grandchildren. He still loves being a doctor. And enjoys spending time with Kathy and serving at their church.

Nancy Keplinger Topper, MD’73
Dr. Nancy Keplinger Topper’s specialty was pediatrics. She practiced in California and Kansas City. She also participated in 17 medical trips to the Dominican Republic. Dr. Keplinger Topper is now retired. She is married to Dr. Bill Topper, a retired neonatologist, and have terrific children and grandchildren. She stays active by participating in a number of community activities. She enjoys traveling, playing bridge and various crafts.

John Vanspeybroeck, MD’73
After graduation, Dr. John Vanspeybroeck completed a surgical internship at the University of Michigan and completed his GS residency at the University of California, San Francisco. He did a year of peripheral vascular fellowship at Loyola University School of Medicine. Following this, he joined a small surgical group practice in Eureka, California. He retired from active surgical practice in 2017. He still does some occasional assisting. He and his wife (fellow ‘73 classmate) Nancy celebrated their 50th anniversary in November 2022. They have two daughters. He enjoys book clubs, volunteering, car shows, bicycling, and traveling.

Nancy Vanspeybroeck, MD’73
Following graduation, Dr. Nancy Vanspeybroeck completed an internal medicine internship at the University of Michigan and a residency at UCSF. She then completed a fellowship in rheumatology at UCSF. She and her husband (fellow MD’73 classmate) John moved to the Eureka/Arcata area where they have spent the rest of their careers in private practice. Dr. Vanspeybroeck retired in 2012. She and John have two children and three granddogs. She has adjusted well to retired life. She enjoys tennis, cooking, bicycling and traveling.

Jeffrey G. Norvell, MD'02
Dr. Jeffrey Norvell has been appointed associate dean for graduate medical education and associate designated institutional official at the KU School of Medicine, effective April 24, 2023.

Abbey Smith Rupe, MD'05, R'08
Dr. Abbey Smith Rupe was elected to the KU Endowment Board of Trustees. Dr. Rupe is a faculty pediatrician at Salina Family Healthcare Center, where she helps train family medicine residents for future practice in rural Kansas through the Smoky Hill Family Medical Residency Program.

Wallace B. Smith, MD'54
September 22, 2023

J. Weston Smith, MD'55
May 7, 2023

Edmond Yunis, MD, R'57
June 7, 2023

Lawrence L. Perry, Jr., MD'59
October 21, 2023

Joseph D. Howard, MD'60
June 14, 2023

W. Robert Wisman, MD, I'60, F'64
October 29, 2023

Jerry A. Kirkland, MD'62
March 8, 2023

Gareth R. P. Johnson, MD'64
August 13, 2023

Robert R. Stuber, MD'65
September 9, 2023

Keith J. Abercrombie, MD'67
September 3, 2023

Myron K. Hultgren, MD'68
May 21, 2023

Patrick B. Page, MD'68
July 16, 2023

Robert M. Melichar, MD'70
October 1, 2023

Patrick M. Devig, MD'71
June 28, 2023

Frederick Wolfe, MD, R'71
September 5, 2023

Philip H. Watkins Jr., MD'73
August 11, 2023

Robert P. Carter, MD, R'73
October 7, 2022

Robert T. Keller, MD'75
November 28, 2022

Roger R. Tobias, MD'76
October 5, 2022

Linda O. Judge, MD'80
September 28, 2023

Rodney M. Staats, MD'83
September 21, 2023

Carol Newhouse Ludwig, MD'84
December 3, 2022

Michael J. Clay, MD'88
September 10, 2023

Eric C. Johnston, MD, R'96
September 6, 2023

Brian S. Edwards, MD, F'00
October 9, 2023

Carly Twarog Carnes, MD'18
October 6, 2023

Emily Haas, MHSA'19
Emily Haas is now the Director of Programs with BioNexus KC and Director of Digital Health Kansas City. Emily is a Kansas City native excited to drive healthcare innovation in the Midwest. She brings her unique background in education and healthcare to envision and advance the life-sciences and digital health ecosystem in KC. Most recently, Emily worked at Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City developing programs and executing strategic initiatives for the cardiovascular service line.

Dorothy J. Hughes, PhD'19, MHSA'08
Dr. Hughes is a recipient of the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award. This award recognizes and rewards demonstrated teaching ability of a clearly superlative nature. The award was presented at an inaugural University Teaching Awards ceremony in the Kansas Union on the Lawrence campus on November 7, 2023.

Mohammad Islam, MHSA'23
Mohammad Islam started a new position as an Administrative Fellow at Tenet Healthcare in Tucson, Arizona.

Cordell Titus, MHSA'23
Cordell Titus started a new position as a Practice Manager with HCA Healthcare in Overland Park, Kansas.

Joshua A. Kerschen, MHSA'97
September 30, 2023