Memorial
Dr. Robert Allen Sedlacek, 85, of Cottage Grove Place, died Monday June 23, 2014 at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa following a short illness.
Service will be 11:00am Thursday June 26, 2014 at First Congregational Church in Cedar Rapids. Reverend Dr. William Jamison will officiate at the service. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 pm Wednesday June 25, 2014 at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Entombment will be at the Cedar Memorial Mausoleum. Attending Masons please report at 10:30 am to the Church’s fellowship hall.
Surviving is a daughter Kat (Debra) (Dr. Bruce) Neumann of Glenwood Springs, CO, two sons Dr. Scot (Dr. Joyce) Sedlacek and their daughters, Bryn Sedlacek of Anapolis, MD, Jordan Sedlacek of Ft. Collins, CO, Kurt (Cynthia) Sedlacek of Salida, CO; and a brother Gordon M. Sedlacek PhD of Pullman, Washington.
He was born on August 1, 1928 to Dr. Leo and Gladys (McLeod) Sedlacek in Charles City, Iowa, and was married to Victoria (Vickie) Abodeely on June 26, 1949 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The wedding was performed by his father in law, Reverend Thomas Abodeely.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Vickie and brother Dr. Richard L. Sedlacek.
A graduate of McKinley High School in 1946, he enlisted in the Army and served in Japan in the personal Honor Guard Company of General Douglas MacArthur. He was discharged as a Staff Sergeant in 1947. He received his BS degree from the University of Iowa in 1951 and his MD degree from The University of Iowa in 1954. He was board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1962.
His internship was completed with the U.S. Army at Valley Forge Army Hospital in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania from 1954 – 1955. He returned to the University of Iowa for a residency in Internal Medicine and a Fellowship in Neurology. He began his practice of Internal Medicine in Cedar Rapids in 1959 and later was joined by Drs. Galbraith and McIntosh establishing Internist PC. He left private practice in 1985.
After leaving private practice, he served as Sr. Vice President and Medical Director of Group Benefits Design Corporation and later he was Special Assistant to the Director at the University Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Dr. Sedlacek then served as Medical Director with Rockwell International in Cedar Rapids, retiring from that position in 1993.
He was on the staffs of Mercy Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital and served as President of St. Luke’s Medical Staff in 1967. He was a member of the American College of Occupational Medicine, American Medical Society, Iowa State Medical Society and was past president of the Linn County Medical Society. He was a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, American Society of Internal Medicine, and Iowa Clinical Society of Internal Medicine (President, 1977). He was a member of the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care and the Iowa Chapter Arthritis Foundation. He received the Lowry Award in 1966 and Distinguished Service Award in 1962, both from the Iowa Chapter Arthritis Foundation. He was named “Iowa Internist of the Year” by the Iowa Clinical Society of Internal Medicine in 1985, and was named Alumnus Initiate of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical Society in 1983.
He was a member and served on the board of directors of Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation (COMMIT), Allergo Growth Fund, Inc., Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce and the First Congregational Church where he was on the Board of Trustees and numerous other committees. Bob was a Charter Member of the Board of Trustees of Cottage Grove Place and served as Chairman of the Board for 11 years. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aging Services, Inc.
A member of Cedar Rapids Country Club, he was also a member of Mizpah Masonic Lodge #139, AF & AM, and El Kahir Shrine.
He received his greatest joy from family and granddaughters, however fishing on his beloved Hansen Lake in Ontario, Canada ran a close second. He also enjoyed photography, bike riding and occasionally golf.
In lieu of flowers, friends may, make contributions to First Congregational Church, 361 17th ST SE 52403, Cottage Grove Place Foundation, 2115 1st Ave SE 52402, or The Sedlacek Treatment Center at Mercy Medical Center, 701 10th St SE 52403, all Cedar Rapids, Iowa.