Torbert, Joseph Craig Dr. 1943 - 1988

TORBERT, STEPHENS

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/25/2011 at 01:08:15

Dr. Joseph Craig Torbert, 45, of Akron, Iowa, died Monday (Oct. 31, 1988), at his home after an extended illness.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Immanuel Lutheran Church in Akron, with the Rev. William Flemr officiating. Visitation will be from 1 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday with the family present from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Schroeder Funeral Home in Akron. Pallbearers will be Tom Ross, Greg Heeren, Paul Johnson, Roger Nielsen.Jerry Dykstra, Ken Richards, Dr. Larry Foster, Dean Lauterback and Kelly Yamaoka. The Par Four quartet, Brad Kraft, Jon Harris, Gary Tucker and Scott Otis, will sing "Amazing Grace" and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", accompanied by organist Carol Harris. A piano solo, "The Lord's Prayer" will be played by Carol Harris.

Dr. Torbert was born September 25, 1943, in Spencer, Ia., and grew up in Perry, where he graduated from high school. He married Margaret Stephens December 29, 1965, at Le Mars, Ia. He graduated from Drake University in 1967 and Creighton Medical School at Omaha in 1971. He completed a three-year residency at Creighton Medical School and became a diplomat of the Academy of Family Practice. He moved to Akron, la. and practiced medicine with Dr. Joseph Trotzig from 1974 until Dr. Trotzig's retirement. Dr. Torbert then maintained the practice on his own. He was a member of the Iowa Medical Society and the AM A. He was instrumental in the development of the Akron Professional Building and served as its secretary-treasurer.

In his spare time, Dr. Torbert enjoyed flying his four passenger Bonanza and taking extended trips on his motorcycle. He was a self-taught computer programmer, an avid reader, and often relaxed with music that he wrote and played expressively on the piano. He was devoted to his family. Dr. Torbert loved the practice of medicine, for it provided the challenge of the sciences combined with the opportunity to serve others.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret; a daughter, Stephanie and a son, Eric, both at home; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Orville Torbert of Perry; a brother, Tom of Coal Valley, Ill., and two sisters, Mrs. Robert (Linda) Scheib of Yale and Mrs. Ed (Janet) Beaman of West Des Moines.

He was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Lyle Stephens.

Akron Register Tribune
Thursday, November 3, 1988
Akron, Iowa