Dr. Robert Carlton Kasprzak

1952 - 2018

Dr. Robert Carlton Kasprzak

Knoxville, TN

On January 27th, 2018, Dr. Robert Carlton Kasprzak D.O. 65, from Knoxville, TN went home to be with the Lord for eternity after suffering from a long term illness. He was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend.

Born Dec. 5, 1952 in Melrose, Massachusetts to Chesley and Gertrude Kasprzak, where he lived his childhood years and graduated from Melrose High School in 1970. He attended Bates College in Lewiston, ME, graduating with his B.S. in Biology in 1974. He continued his graduate school education at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and graduated in 1979. It was while he was attending medical school where he met the love of his life, Jean Bleile in February of 1977. They were married June 17,1978 in Philadelphia. He continued his post grad internship training in Family Practice Medicine in Portland, ME at Portland Osteopathic Hospital. In 1980 he joined the U.S. Public Health Service as a Naval Officer and was stationed in Southwest Florida, serving the migrant population. After completing his service commitment in 1982 he joined a Family Practice at Myerlee Medical Association in Ft. Myers, FL for the next 11 years. He returned to work in 1993 with migrant and indigent population clinic at the Family Health Center in Ft. Myers, FL until 1996. In 1996, Dr. Kasprzak and his family relocated to Knoxville, TN where he joined a medical practice with Family Care Specialists. He completed his practice years there until he retired in 2016 due to his illness. He practiced medicine as his ministry in life, as was demonstrated by his great compassion and care for his patients. He vowed to never lose his personal touch and art of medicine, despite the ever changing health care system. Having a heart for the underserved and medically needy, he served on short-term foreign medical mission teams during his years of practice. It was his heart`s desire to continue serving in medical missions together with his wife Jean, a nurse, in the later years of their lives. He was also an associate professor at Southwest Florida Osteopathic Medical School and Lincoln Memorial Osteopathic Medical School training students in clinical practice. He had a desire to pass on his philosophy and experience to the next generation. Bob had a strong faith and servants heart among his Church family for children`s, youth, and men`s ministry. He was a member of Christ Covenant Church in Farragut, TN since 1999 and formerly Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church. He was also a member for 16 years at Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Cape Coral, FL. He loved studying scripture and sharing his heart and knowledge with his family, friends and patients. He loved the outdoors, tending to his flowers and garden. Fishing the waters of Maine and Florida to the lakes and rivers of East Tennessee were among some of the best adventures of his life. Fellowship while fishing with his children and special friends became very important to him in his later years.

He was an avid sports fan coming from a large athletic family of four brothers. He participated in basketball, track and later rugby. His New England heritage followed him everywhere he went giving him a love for the Boston Celtics, Red Sox, and New England Patriots. However, moving to Knoxville, he became a great fan of the UT Sports. GO VOLS!

His first and greatest job in his life was serving his growing family. He was a loving and supportive husband and saw each of his four children as true gifts from God. He spent any time away from his profession attending school and sporting events for his children, assisting with their academic studies, and helping in their church youth events. He also loved cooking his incredible Saturday morning breakfasts for his whole family. He gave them counsel as young adults and prayed fervently for them all the days of his life. His family was greatly loved to the end! He is survived by his loving wife of thirty-nine and a half years, Jean Bleile Kasprzak, his four children, David, Adam(wife Rachael Hawkins Kasprzak), Kaitlin Kasprzak Cowan (husband Nicholas Cowan), Jonathan Kasprzak. His three big brothers, Michael Kasprzak (wife Dee), Chet Kasprzak (wife Marilyn), Tom Kasprzak (wife Terry) and several beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins. He had many cherished friends throughout his life. Family will receive friends 5-7pm Friday at Christ Covenant Church with a service to celebrate Bob's life to immediately follow. Burial will be 12 noon on Saturday at Pleasant Forest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers we suggest donations to the American Cancer Society or Christ Covenant Church Local and World Missions Fund at WWW.Christcov.org in honor of Bob Kasprzak