Individual Details
Dr Theodore R Hunley
(1 Mar 1917 - 16 Jan 2014)
Posted at findagrave.com: Theodore R. "Ted" Hunley, a retired U.S. Naval Dental Officer and professor at Georgetown University and Indiana University, who helped advance the new field of preventive dentistry for the military and the state of Indiana, died of heart failure on January 16, 2014 at his Spencer home. He was 96.
Born in rural Pike County, Indiana, he lived and traveled throughout the United States as his professional assignments required, before retiring back to his native Indiana in 1978. He earned his undergraduate degree with honors from Oakland City College (now University), leading to his first career as a high school teacher in Evansville and Freedom, where he met an attractive young woman named Mim Royer of Spencer. They celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary last November.
Dr. Hunley earned his Doctorate of Dental Surgery in 1945 from Saint Louis University with Who's Who Among American Students and Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Fraternity Honors and recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The American College of Dentistry for 50 years as a Fellow. Oakland City University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Science in 1980 for his many contributions to the Alumni Board and Association.
Dr. Hunley practiced dentistry in Evansville and Spencer early in his career. While in Spencer (1954-1956), he knew of the early clinical trials with fluoride toothpaste at IU and convinced them to bring the program to the local public schools where students were given free toothpaste in plain white tubes along with periodic fluoride treatments.
But, the U.S. Navy gave him a chance to travel and "see the world." During his 23 years of active duty, his tours took him and his family to every part of the country, from Great Lakes, Illinois to Jacksonville, Florida; from Newport, Rhode Island, to Long Beach, California, and more. Sea duty on the USS Coral Sea and the USS Worcester carried him throughout the Mediterranean Sea and the Pacific, respectively, serving as the source for the vast slide collection that he enjoyed sharing in informal and entertaining poetry readings in his retirement.
"Daddy loved to travel and sightsee. From coast to coast, we stopped at every national park, state park and nature center he could find. He and Mother traveled well into their 90's, with front row seats at the Brown County Community Theatre where everyone knew them by name," said his daughter, Susan Van Buren. "His insatiable curiosity and love of knowledge made him a killer arm-chair champion on Jeopardy."
In 1960, Dr. Hunley was the first Naval Dental Officer to attend the Command & Staff course at the Naval War College in Newport. And, from 1960 to 1966, while at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, he had additional duty at the White House during the Kennedy/ Johnson years. He recounted fondly meeting Mrs. Johnson on more than one occasion, adding that she was wonderfully warm and gracious. This assignment also required regular helicopter flights to Camp David, the presidential retreat near Gettysburg, where he established and operated a dental service for the staff.
The years in Bethesda combined two of his greatest passions - teaching and the art of dentistry - and gave him the opportunity to develop correspondence courses and training films and to lecture extensively nationwide in his specialty of restorative dentistry.
Following Commanding Officer positions at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and Newport, Rhode Island, Dr. Hunley retired as a Captain in 1970, receiving letters of commendation from the Navy, the Marine Corps and the White House. He and his wife returned to Maryland, where he joined the faculty at Georgetown University's School of Dentistry as Chair of the Department of Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning and Director of Continuing Education until his second retirement in 1978.
Finding himself "back home in Indiana," he continued to teach young, aspiring dentists as Professor of Operative Dentistry, part time, at the Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis. Throughout his career, he had a profound influence on his students, his dental technicians and his junior officers, who valued his professionalism, astute guidance, and commitment to excellence in the field. Many have remained close friends decades later. "He certainly is the reason that I am where I am today," remarked Dr. Richard Finger of Athens, Georgia, who served with Dr. Hunley at Camp Lejeune. "He was a gentleman's gentleman; a professional's professional; a friend's friend. There is no way to describe the influence that he has had on the many, many people who worked with him."
In his third and last retirement, Dr. Hunley served his community faithfully: Elder of the Spencer Presbyterian Church, Alumni Board of Oakland City College, Advisory Council of Bloomington Hospital, Spencer Lions Club, American Legion and Masonic Lodge, as well as the Indiana University Varsity Club. He continued to pursue his lifelong loves of gardening, bird watching, traveling, and boating and fishing - from deep sea to farm pond.
In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by two additional daughters, Patricia Andrews of Louisville, Kentucky, and Mary Jane Rice of Boone, North Carolina; one son, David Hunley of Doylestown, Pennsylvania; and their spouses; eight grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. "Such a wonderful guy. He was truly remarkable," said Larry Morley, husband of niece Cathy Hogan Morley.
Calls may be made at the West & Parrish & Pedigo Funeral Home on Friday, January 24, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with Masonic rites at 6:30 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, at the Spencer Presbyterian Church. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery.
The family suggests that expressions of sympathy be in the form of contributions to the Scholarship Fund, Oakland City University, Oakland City, IN 47660.
Spencer Evening World, January 22, 2014
Born in rural Pike County, Indiana, he lived and traveled throughout the United States as his professional assignments required, before retiring back to his native Indiana in 1978. He earned his undergraduate degree with honors from Oakland City College (now University), leading to his first career as a high school teacher in Evansville and Freedom, where he met an attractive young woman named Mim Royer of Spencer. They celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary last November.
Dr. Hunley earned his Doctorate of Dental Surgery in 1945 from Saint Louis University with Who's Who Among American Students and Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Fraternity Honors and recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The American College of Dentistry for 50 years as a Fellow. Oakland City University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Science in 1980 for his many contributions to the Alumni Board and Association.
Dr. Hunley practiced dentistry in Evansville and Spencer early in his career. While in Spencer (1954-1956), he knew of the early clinical trials with fluoride toothpaste at IU and convinced them to bring the program to the local public schools where students were given free toothpaste in plain white tubes along with periodic fluoride treatments.
But, the U.S. Navy gave him a chance to travel and "see the world." During his 23 years of active duty, his tours took him and his family to every part of the country, from Great Lakes, Illinois to Jacksonville, Florida; from Newport, Rhode Island, to Long Beach, California, and more. Sea duty on the USS Coral Sea and the USS Worcester carried him throughout the Mediterranean Sea and the Pacific, respectively, serving as the source for the vast slide collection that he enjoyed sharing in informal and entertaining poetry readings in his retirement.
"Daddy loved to travel and sightsee. From coast to coast, we stopped at every national park, state park and nature center he could find. He and Mother traveled well into their 90's, with front row seats at the Brown County Community Theatre where everyone knew them by name," said his daughter, Susan Van Buren. "His insatiable curiosity and love of knowledge made him a killer arm-chair champion on Jeopardy."
In 1960, Dr. Hunley was the first Naval Dental Officer to attend the Command & Staff course at the Naval War College in Newport. And, from 1960 to 1966, while at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, he had additional duty at the White House during the Kennedy/ Johnson years. He recounted fondly meeting Mrs. Johnson on more than one occasion, adding that she was wonderfully warm and gracious. This assignment also required regular helicopter flights to Camp David, the presidential retreat near Gettysburg, where he established and operated a dental service for the staff.
The years in Bethesda combined two of his greatest passions - teaching and the art of dentistry - and gave him the opportunity to develop correspondence courses and training films and to lecture extensively nationwide in his specialty of restorative dentistry.
Following Commanding Officer positions at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and Newport, Rhode Island, Dr. Hunley retired as a Captain in 1970, receiving letters of commendation from the Navy, the Marine Corps and the White House. He and his wife returned to Maryland, where he joined the faculty at Georgetown University's School of Dentistry as Chair of the Department of Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning and Director of Continuing Education until his second retirement in 1978.
Finding himself "back home in Indiana," he continued to teach young, aspiring dentists as Professor of Operative Dentistry, part time, at the Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis. Throughout his career, he had a profound influence on his students, his dental technicians and his junior officers, who valued his professionalism, astute guidance, and commitment to excellence in the field. Many have remained close friends decades later. "He certainly is the reason that I am where I am today," remarked Dr. Richard Finger of Athens, Georgia, who served with Dr. Hunley at Camp Lejeune. "He was a gentleman's gentleman; a professional's professional; a friend's friend. There is no way to describe the influence that he has had on the many, many people who worked with him."
In his third and last retirement, Dr. Hunley served his community faithfully: Elder of the Spencer Presbyterian Church, Alumni Board of Oakland City College, Advisory Council of Bloomington Hospital, Spencer Lions Club, American Legion and Masonic Lodge, as well as the Indiana University Varsity Club. He continued to pursue his lifelong loves of gardening, bird watching, traveling, and boating and fishing - from deep sea to farm pond.
In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by two additional daughters, Patricia Andrews of Louisville, Kentucky, and Mary Jane Rice of Boone, North Carolina; one son, David Hunley of Doylestown, Pennsylvania; and their spouses; eight grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. "Such a wonderful guy. He was truly remarkable," said Larry Morley, husband of niece Cathy Hogan Morley.
Calls may be made at the West & Parrish & Pedigo Funeral Home on Friday, January 24, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with Masonic rites at 6:30 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, at the Spencer Presbyterian Church. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery.
The family suggests that expressions of sympathy be in the form of contributions to the Scholarship Fund, Oakland City University, Oakland City, IN 47660.
Spencer Evening World, January 22, 2014
Events
| Birth | 1 Mar 1917 | Patoka, Pike Co., Indiana |  | ||
| Marriage | 21 Nov 1940 | Owen Co., Indiana - Amelia Elizabeth "Mim" Royer | | ||
| Residence | 1993 | Spencer, Owen Co., Indiana | | ||
| Death | 16 Jan 2014 | Spencer, Owen Co., Indiana | | ||
| Alt name | T. R. Hunley | | |||
| Burial | Riverside Cemetery, Spencer, Owen Co., Indiana | |
Families
| Spouse | Amelia Elizabeth "Mim" Royer (1919 - 2014) |
Endnotes
1. Ancestry.com, Indiana, Birth Certificates, 1907-1940 (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016).
2. Indiana Marriages 1811-1959, Where married, city or county, not listed.
3. Ancestry.com, U. S. Public Records Index, Volume 1 (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010), Database online..
4. Ancestry.com, U. S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012).
5. Indiana Marriages 1811-1959, Where married, city or county, not listed.
6. Ancestry.com, U. S. Public Records Index, Volume 1 (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010), Database online..
8. Indiana Marriages 1811-1959, Where married, city or county, not listed.