Dr. Roy Craig Ponder

DR. ROY CRAIG PONDER, a prominent orthopedic surgeon, succumbed to a long battle with cancer on January 3, 2009. Dr. Ponder was born 3 May 1942 in Beaumont, Texas and grew up in Port Neches, Texas, attending the schools in that community. He graduated from Port Neches Groves High School in 1960. He attended Lamar State College of Technology in Beaumont, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1963. He attended the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1967. He completed an internship at the Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas in 1968. He served with the Medical Service of the United States Air Force in Great Britain until 1970. He returned to Baylor College of Medicine Orthopedic Residency Program in Houston, Texas in 1970 where he completed training in 1974. He completed a Scoliosis Fellowship with Dr. Paul Harrington and Dr. Jesse Dickson in Houston, Texas. He also accomplished a fellowship with Drs. John H. Moe and Robert Winter in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dr. Ponder was a member of the active staff of The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas for the entirety of his medical career. In addition to seeing private patients, he served on numerous medical staff committees including the Executive Committee of The Methodist Hospital. He was a member of Baylor College of Medicine Faculty in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Ponder was a member of the Harris County Medical Society, the Houston Orthopedic Society, the Houston Surgical Society, the Texas Medical Association, the Texas Orthopedic Association, the Texas Spine Society, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the North American Spine Society, the Western Orthopedic Society, the Southern Orthopedic Association. Dr. Ponder pursued a myriad of personal interests in history, sailing, genealogy, arts and film. He was active in the oil and gas exploration industry. Dr. Ponder is survived by his wife, Karyn Ann Ponder; his daughter, Natalie Lynn Ponder and her husband, Joseph Governali, Jr. Of Lafayette, New York; his brother, Richard Lynn Ponder and his wife, Nancy Ponder, of Danville, California. He is survived by two stepsons, Karl Scott Spurlock and Jeremiah Josef Kugler. Dr. Ponder was preceded in death by his parents, Roy Eugene Ponder and Anna Marie Carr. He is survived by two uncles, James Russell Carr of Port Neches, Texas, and his wife Elaine Carr, William Ponder of Monterrey, California, and his wife Juanita Ponder and an aunt, Bernice Page of Port Arthur, Texas. A memorial service will be held at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church at 11 AM at 6221 Main St., Houston, Texas 77030 on Thursday, January 8, 2009. A contribution to the Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas in lieu of flowers would be appreciated.