Elvin M. Amen, M. D., long-time resident of Bartlesville, died Friday, September 1, 2006, at the Heritage Villa Care Center. Dr. Amen was born May 19, 1920, in Merrill, Wisconsin, the son of Albert Marion and Mabel Jane (Shinn) Amen. When he was a very small child, the Amen family moved to South Dakota, and he grew up in Yankton. He graduated from Yankton High School and received his Bachelor's Degree from Yankton College. On October 11, 1942, he married Lucile Wright in Wayne, Nebraska. During World War II, Elvin was a civilian flight instructor for the Army Air Corps at Cimarron Field in Yukon, Oklahoma. Following the war, he became a commercial airline pilot for TWA. In 1946 he returned to South Dakota to attend medical school, and after two years he transferred to the University of Nebraska Medical School. Dr. Amen set up his practice in Bartlesville in 1951 and remained here for the rest of his life with the exception of two years of active military duty as a flight surgeon with the United States Air Force. Over the years Dr. Amen was involved in many community, state, and national organizations including the Camera Club of Bartlesville, the Washington-Nowata County Medical Society, Oklahoma Academy of Family Practice, American Academy of Family Practice, and the American Medical Association. Dr. Amen became a member of the Rotary Club of Bartlesville in 1951 and was elected president of the club in 1961. He had perfect attendance in Rotary from 1961 until his death, and he made up Rotary meetings all over the world. Also in Rotary he was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a member and past president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, he was an examiner for the FAA, and he was Medical Examiner in Washington County until shortly before his death. In addition he was an avid supporter of the Boy Scouts of America. Dr. Amen loved fishing, hunting, flying, race cars, and traveling with his wife Lucile. Together they were able to visit over sixty different countries. He was a member of the Adams Boulevard Church of Christ. Lucile, his wife of sixty years, preceded him in death on July 1, 2003. He is survived by two sons, Dick Amen and wife Kittye of West Allis, WI, and Doug Amen and wife Paula of Bartlesville; grandchildren, Shelley Amen of Wauwatosa, WI, Rick Amen of Wauwatosa, WI, Matt Amen and wife Dawn of Milwaukee, WI, Gary Amen of Moore, OK, and Quincy Amen of Moore, OK; great granddaughter Katelyn of Milwaukee, WI; a niece, Gerri and husband Bo Watkins of Deer Park, NY; a great niece, Cathi and husband Mark Cerqueira of Holbrook, NY; two great nephews, Steve Semple of North Lindenhurst, NY, and Craig Watkins of Deer Park, NY; two great-great nieces, Jeanine and Allison Cerqueira of Holbrook, NY; special friends Grace Fender of Amarillo, TX, and Joyce Thurman of Bartlesville. In addition to his wife, his parents and a brother-in-law and a sister-in-law, Gerald and Jean Wright, preceded him in death Funeral services for Dr. Amen will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 7, 2006, in the sanctuary of the Adams Boulevard Church of Christ with Mr. Dave Hammonds officiating. Burial will be in the family plot of the Memorial Park Cemetery. . Military honors for Dr. Amen will be provided by the James H. Teel American Legion Post #105 honor guard. Funeral services are under the direction of the Neekamp-Luginbuel Funeral Home. Online condolences for Elvin M. Amen, M. D. can be left at www.honoringmemories.com. Memorials have been established in his name with the Boy Scouts of America, 121 S.E. Adams Blvd., Bartlesville, OK 74003; Bartlesville Rotary Club Foundation, % George Halkiades, P. O. Box 881, Bartlesville, OK 74005; and Hope Harbor Children's Home, P. O. Box 1047, Claremore, OK 74018.
Service Details
Thursday, September 7th, 2006 2:00pm, Adams Blvd. Church Of Christ
Interment Details
Memorial Park Cemetery Bartlesville