Dr. Lawrence Keyes WACASER

1937 - 2014

Dr. Lawrence "Larry" Wacaser

LOVINGTON, IL - Retired neurosurgeon, Dr. Lawrence "Larry" Keyes Wacaser, 77, died peacefully on Oct. 16, 2014, at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Dr. Wacaser lived on Lake Springfield and practiced in Springfield from 1975-1986.

Larry was born in Lovington, Ill., on Sept. 14, 1937, to Paul Thornton Wacaser and Helen Keyes Wacaser. Larry was raised on a farm in rural Lovington and graduated at the top of his class from Lovington High School in 1955, where he was also Class President, and excelled on the track, baseball, and football teams, and voted "Most Valuable Player" on the basketball team.

In 1959 he received his B.A. from the University of Illinois and received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1962. He interned at Maricopa County General in Phoenix in 1963, then did his residency training at the Hines V.A. and Mercy Memorial Hospitals in Chicago until 1969.

Dr. Wacaser launched his neurosurgery practice in San Jose, Calif., in 1969. In 1975 he moved his practice to Springfield, Ill., to work with his brother, Dr. Lyle Wacaser, also a neurosurgeon, until 1986. He then moved to Ohio and practiced out of Salem and East Liverpool, until he retired in 1992 due to a back injury.

During his later years, he split his time between South Texas and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Larry is survived by his brother, Dr. Lyle Wacaser of Springfield, Ill.; sister, Ellen Wacaser Keyes of Lincoln, Ill.; four children: Karin of Dallas, Michael of Phoenix, Craig of Raleigh, N.C., and David of Dallas; five grandchildren; and his former wife, Joyce Mills Bartsch of Dallas.

Larry was preceded in death by his older brother, Deane Wacaser.

McMullin-Young Funeral Home of Sullivan, Ill., is coordinating Dr. Wacaser's memorial service at Lovington United Methodist Church, 241 S. Broadway, Lovington, IL, to be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014, with visitation also at the church at 1 p.m. Burial will be at Hewitt Cemetery in Lovington.

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