MASTERS, Dr. Ronald Ommen Sr.

MASTERS, OMMEN, MILLIUS, HALFPAP, REAGAN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 12/10/2013 at 12:41:33

Obituary - Dr. Ronald Ommen Masters, Sr.
March 19, 1913 ~ August, 2004

Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
August 02, 2004
By John Skipper

R.O. Masters, civic leader, dies at 91

MASON CITY — R.O. Masters Sr., patriarch of a family of chiropractors and a longtime civic leader in Mason City, died Sunday in his home. He was 91.

"He was a man who had a genuine interest in everything," said Al Heinz, who served for many years with Masters on the North Iowa Fair Board. "He was just amazing. He enjoyed life and wanted to be a part of it. I think that added to his longevity."

Masters served as chairman of the Mason City Planning and Zoning Commission, vice president of the North Iowa Fair Board, chairman of the Cerro Gordo County Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America, president of Toastmasters, president of the High 12 Club and a member and officer of numerous chiropractic organizations.

He was born in Guthrie Center and graduated from Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1936. He practiced chiropractic in Manning from 1936 to 1945 and then moved to Mason City where he continued his practice.

He and his wife, Mary Jane, had three sons, Ronald, Lance and Michael, all of whom grew up to be chiropractors. A grandson also is a chiropractor.

"I think it's a real honor that his sons admired him and his profession so much that they followed him into it," said Bill Killpack, who knew Masters for many years through their involvement at First Methodist Church and the Mason City Noon Rotary Club.

"I always thought R.O. was a good advertisement for his profession just by the way he carried himself. He walked straight and led a good life.

"You never heard anything negative from him," said Killpack.

In a 2003 interview with The Globe Gazette, Masters said he developed an interest in chiropractors when he was 12 years old. He fell out of a haymow and had terrible headaches and other ailments. His parents took him to a chiropractor who helped him get well. That helped him decide what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

He and his wife celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary last year. He said the secret to a long marriage is to avoid finding fault and never be afraid to apologize. "The power of love overshadows a lot," he said.

In a 1959 guest editorial in the Globe Gazette, Masters wrote about how a community succeeds.

"Its personality or attitude is the predominant thinking and action of its people ... This personality in a town or city can make it or break it," he wrote. "If its people become suspicious and envious of one another, if they become 'anti' or greedy, it is like a rotten apple in a bushel or like a contagious sore.

"Many thriving communities show friendly, helpful personalities because the majority of its people reflect that way of life ... May we in this city carry it on and make it resound as it has been resounded to us — thus making our town the best place in the world to live."

Services for Masters are incomplete and under direction of Major Erickson..

~ ~ ~ ~

Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Wednesday, August 11, 2004

DR. RONALD O. MASTERS SR.

MASON CITY — Dr. Ronald O. Masters Sr., 91, of 1212 Third St. S.W., died Sunday (Aug. 1, 2004) at home.

Memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Friday at the First United Methodist Church, 119 S. Georgia Ave., with the Rev. Jim Stiles officiating. A private family internment service will be held in Memorial Park Cemetery at a later date.

There will be no visitation.

Memorials may be directed to the R.O. Masters Memorial Fund.

Ronald O. Masters Sr., D.C., F.I.C.C. chiropractor, teacher, lecturer and author, was born in Guthrie Center, Iowa, to William F. Masters and Almeda (Ommen) Masters March 19, 1913.

He married Mary Jane Millius Sept. 22, 1933, and had four sons: Dexter Dean (deceased in 1935) Ronald O. Masters II, D.C., Lance V. Masters, D.C. and Michael J. Masters, D.C.

After graduating from Guthrie Center High School, he attended Simpson College of Indianola, Iowa, and then Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, where he received the degree of Doctor of Chiropractic in 1936. He practiced chiropractic in Lake City, Iowa, for a short time and then moved to Manning, Iowa, where he practiced until moving to Mason City in 1945.

He and his brother Dr. M.W. Masters established Masters Brothers Chiropractic in Mason City. The practice eventually became known as Masters Chiropractic Clinic when his three sons joined the practice.

He was very proud of the fact that he and his two brothers, his three sons, three grandsons and a grand daughter-in-law were or are in the chiropractic profession. Dr. Masters is recognized as having made many contributions to the chiropractic profession.

He served on the Palmer College of Chiropractic postgraduate faculty. He invented the Spinalyzer, an instrument used by chiropractors worldwide to analyze body posture, balance and spinal distortions.

He had many articles published in chiropractic journals on the art and science of chiropractic.

In 1966, he was the recipient of the Daniel David Palmer Scientific Award from Palmer College for his research of the Occipital Atlanto articulation's multiple misalignments and their effect on the body's health.

He presented his research findings with lectures throughout the country at state and national chiropractic conventions, seminars and conferences. He was further honored with a fellowship in the Palmer Academy of Chiropractic and named a Fellow of the International College of Chiropractors.

Dr. R.O. was instrumental in the formation of both the American Chiropractic Association and the Iowa Chiropractic Society. He was a charter member of both organizations and served as the A.C.A. delegate from Iowa for 10 years.

He was a life member of the Iowa Chiropractic Society. He also served as I.C.S. president and was on the I.C.S. Board of Directors for 20 years.

Dr. R.O. was very active and served his community in many ways. He was a Boy Scout Scoutmaster, a member of First United Methodist Church, and served as a lay minister filling many pulpits in North Iowa.

He was a member of the North Iowa Fair Board, served on the Mason City Planning and Zoning Commission, was a 50-year member of the Mason City Noon Rotary and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.

He was a 32nd degree Mason, a member of the York Rite and past president on the Masonic High Twelve Club, a member of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce, serving on the Chamber Board of Directors and as a member and chairperson of several committees.

Dr. R.O. also won many local, area and regional speaking awards while he was a member of the Mason City Toastmasters International.

Dr. R.O. enjoyed many varied activities which included golf, fishing, shuffleboard, traveling and reading.

He loved to be with his family and enjoyed the many activities they had together. He had a passion for taking care of people and was always in search of new and better ways to help them.

At the age of 79 he studied acupuncture. He was the oldest applicant to take the Arizona State Acupuncture Board licensing test and received the highest score on the state test.

He practiced chiropractic and acupuncture until he was age 85.

Dr. R.O. is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; three sons, Ronald II and his wife, Pat, of Mason City, Lance and his special friend, Deb Halfpap, of Mason City, Michael and his wife, Judy, of Honolulu, Hawaii; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, William and Almeda; three brothers, Dr. Alva, Dr. M.W (Bill) and Willard Masters; an infant son, Dexter Dean; and daughter-in-law, Nancy Reagan Masters.

Major Erickson Funeral Home & Crematory.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, December of 2013