Harmon E. Holverson

10/1/1924 - 4/17/2007 Memorial Services for Harmon E. Holverson, MD, 82, of Emmett who died, April 17 at Emmett Hospital will be conducted Saturday, April 21 at 12 noon at the Potter Funeral Chapel in Emmett. Harmon was born Oct. 1, 1924 to Elmer and Faye (Bilderbach) Holverson in Emmett, Idaho. He graduated from Emmett High School in 1942. He was in the United States Navy where he was a Pharmacist Mate and Laboratory Technician from 1943- 1945. He married Dorothy Sweetser; of that union were two children, Jeffery S. and Holly F. , they were later divorced. He then went to the University of Scranton in Scranton, Penn. and graduated with a B.S. Magna Cum Laude in 1949. He then went on to Medical School at Thomas Jefferson in Philadelphia, Penn. After his Internship at the Delaware Hospital in Wilmington, Del. he came back to his home town of Emmett to practice medicine and surgery. Harmon practiced for 48 years before retiring, he loved taking care of his patients and missed them very much when he finally did retire. He also enjoyed all of the people he worked with on a daily basis; the nursing homes, drugstores and other providers. In Emmett his many services included being on the Board of Directors of Walter Knox Memorial Hospital and Chief of Staff, President of the Kiwanis Club, Utah-Idaho district Lieutenant Governor, President of the Gem County Civic Music Assoc., member of the School Board, Episcopal church lay reader and EMT Medical Coordinator. He was Gem County Man of the Year in 1960. His mother, Faye, was the Gem County Woman of the Year at the same time. He was named Idaho's Family Physician of the Year in 1990 and was pictured in Idaho's Centennial People Make A Difference 1990 (100 people picked in the state). He was also President of the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians 1964-1965, he also served as President of the Southwest Idaho Medical Society 1968-1969, he was a delegate for several years to the Idaho Medical Assoc. Later he became very active on the National level and became a delegate from the state of Idaho for 12 years before running for the Board of Directors for The American Academy of Family Practice, he was elected by the Congress of Delegates in 1978, and served on many Commissions. In 1981, along with his wife, Yvonne he decided to run for Vice President, he won. He then ran for President in 1982 and was considered and underdog, but won by a landslide. In 1986, Harmon was elected to the Board of Directors of The American Board of Family Practice and became President in 1990 - 1991. He always said to his wife, that this was a big step for a physician from a small town and a small state, but we made it. It was a privilege and an honor to serve. At the end of his term as President of The American Academy of Family Physicians he was given a grant of $10,000.00 from Smith, Kline French to help further family practice, he chose to give $5,000.00 to Walter Knox Memorial Hospital and $5,000.00 to the Boise Family Practice Residency. Harmon married the love of his life, Yvonne in 1974 along with her two sons; Mark A. and James E. Barnhart. He always considered Mark and Jim as if they were his own. He has dedicated his life to his family, community and his patients. He delivered over 3,000 babies, one of which is his grandson. Words can not describe how much he will be missed in our everyday lives. He leaves behind his wife, Yvonne, his sons; Mark A. Barnhart (Juliet), Jim E. Barnhart (Cindy) all of Emmett, Jeffery S. Holverson (Rena) of Park City, Utah. Daughter, Holly F. Holverson of Denver, Colo. Grandchildren; David Barnhart, Matt Barnhart, Brittany Barnhart, Brianna Barnhart and Kayla Barnhart and nephew, Vernon Holt, all of Emmett. Special friends; Joe Brenton of Fruitland, Idaho, Keith and Delta Holloway of Boise, Idaho and Al and Pat Gelb of Wilmington, Del. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Keith and a sister, Harriett and her husband Orville Schmitz.