Dr Harley Joe & Sue Ann (Stewart) Scholz
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Obit for Harley posted by Jo Aguirre
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“I’ve got a story for you…”
Harley Joe Scholz, a man with an extra helping of mirth and mischief, was born
June 21, 1940, the first son of Joe and Sybil Scholz of Perry, OK. He died on
March 15, 2013.
A farm boy, he attended first grade at Pleasant Valley country school north of
Perry, and in second grade became a student of Perry schools. He graduated from
Perry High School in 1958 and took two years at Northern Oklahoma Junior College
(now NOC) in Tonkawa. During his second year there he was Student Senate
president. He continued his pre-med studies for a year at Oklahoma State
University and then was accepted into the Oklahoma University School of
Medicine, where he graduated in 1965. He had married Sue Stewart in 1962, and by
the time he finished med school, they had the first of their four children.
He spent a year of internship at the University of Washington Hospital and
started his career in family medicine in Yates Center, KS, where their second
son was born.
After about two years, the family moved to northeastern Oregon, and Dr. Scholz
opened Winding Waters Clinic in Enterprise. He became one of a dying breed, the
country doc.
During the seventeen years he practiced in Enterprise the family added two
daughters and Dr. Scholz became a community leader and had a ranch where he
raised Simmental cattle, teaching the family to participate in the ranch. An
avid bow hunter and trout fisherman, he taught his children outdoor skills and
as a Little League coach he taught many local children life lessons as well as
baseball techniques. He taught his kids to work, to love, to find joy.
In everything he undertook, Dr. Scholz worked hard and was determined to
succeed.
Ill health forced Dr. Scholz to limit the stresses in his life and the family
moved to Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix, where he joined Cigna
Healthcare as a family physician. With the same dedication he demonstrated in
every endeavor, Dr. Scholz taught himself to slow down and start having fun in
life. He thanked God for each new morning, and he especially enjoyed his
patients.
He was named Cigna Clinician of the Year in 1984 and his practice grew to be the
largest family practice in the Cigna community. In addition, he and Sue helped
start a new Christian church, hosting the services in their home for about four
months until a more permanent location was arranged.
As his health failed, he looked forward to retirement, which came in 1999.
Harley and Sue moved back to Perry, where he renewed acquaintances and reveled
in the home of his youth. During his mother’s last years, she lived with them,
and Harley became her main caregiver.
He also became a leader in his church, Ceres Christian, where he taught Sunday
School, and also had a Bible study for members of Perry Christian Church and
members of other churches, too.
A lifelong servant of man and God, Dr. Scholz was physician, mentor, elder,
supporter of Perry youth and athletics fan. Known for his favorite conversation
starter: “I’ve got a story for you…,” Harley entertained his friends during his
retirement years with stories and anecdotes that he had collected during his
life of observing people, and then, having enjoyed virtually every moment of
life, Harley took the scenic way Home.
He is survived by his wife and best friend, Sue, and his children, Karl and his
wife Penny of Casper, Wyoming; Kurt and his wife Laura of Sierra Vista, Arizona;
Kristin and her husband Martin Brunelle of Peoria, Arizona; and Harli Jill and
her husband Travis Franklin of Fort Collins, Colorado. He is also survived by
his brother Jerry Scholz of Skiatook, Oklahoma and six grandchildren: Logan,
Gennadean and Joseph Scholz, Grayson Burrow, and Elyse and Olivia Franklin.
He was predeceased by his parents, Sybil and Joe Scholz and his grandparents
Elsie and S.A. Clark and Frank and Mary Shultz.
The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 at Ceres
Christian Church, 13 miles north of Perry on Highway 77.
The service is being
arranged by Palmer Marler Carberry Funeral Home of Perry.
In lieu of flowers
donations may be made to the Harley Scholz Memorial Scholarship through the
Perry Elks Lodge.
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