Dr. Stuart Embury M.D.

Dr. Stuart Embury, M.D.

A memorial service for Dr. Stuart P. Embury will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Holdrege, Neb., with Vicar Libby Florian and Pastor Jean Clayton officiating. A private family inurnment will be held at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege.

In the mercy of almighty God, Stuart Paul Embury entered into the arms of Christ's eternal peace on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. Stuart was born on July 13, 1941, in Los Angeles, Calif., the eldest of three children born to Paul J. and Roberta (Judds) Embury. He was received into God's family through Holy Baptism on July 19, 1942, at Zion Lutheran Church, Ithaca, Neb.

Stuart graduated from Lincoln Southeast High School in 1959. He received a BS degree from the University of Nebraska in 1965, his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in 1969, and completed his internship at Bryan Memorial Hospital in Lincoln.

While in medical school, Stuart met Lynn Von Seggern of Oakland, Neb., a student nurse on campus. In 1968 and at the beginning of his senior year, they were married on his birthday at First Lutheran Church in Oakland. Three children were born to this union: Amy in 1970, Andrew in 1975, and Benjamin in 1979.

In July 1970, Dr. Embury joined Dr. Robert C. Anderson at the Family Medical Clinic in Holdrege, Nebraska. Later, they joined with other local medical colleagues to form Family Medical Specialties in Holdrege.

After 36 years of active practice, Dr. Embury retired in July 2006. Obstetrics was his favorite part of practice, and he especially felt deep pleasure at delivering 1,350 babies during his career. He enjoyed identifying people and stating, "I delivered him/her." He was called back into active practice for several years to fill a vacancy at Phelps Medical Group and continued medical service as Chief Medical Officer at Phelps Memorial Health Center until January 1, 2020. Other aspects of his medical career involved serving as a preceptor for over 100 medical students and testifying in court as an expert witness in medical malpractice cases. He was committed to promoting and providing quality rural health care.

In 1971-1977, during his early years of medical practice, he served the country as a Captain in the 82nd Field Hospital of the U.S. Army Reserves.

Dr. Embury was board certified in Family Medicine and was a member of the American Medical Association, Nebraska Medical Association, the Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Family Physicians. He served as President of the Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians in 1982 and was chosen Nebraska Family Physician of the Year in 1984. He was honored to be named the Humanitarian of the Year at the national assembly of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 2004.

Out of a driving force to relieve suffering in third-world countries, in the mid-1970s Dr. Embury began organizing medical-surgical teams to import surgery and healthcare to hospitals and clinics in Haiti. In 1984, he formed the non-profit charitable entity, Christian Sojourn Haiti, to facilitate and finance the efforts. One of the highlights of his Haitian mission work was organizing youth teams for construction projects. Each of the Embury children made one or more mission trips to Haiti.

Dr. Embury had a zest for life and a broad spectrum of interests and involvements. At age 14, he worked alongside his father restoring a 1915 Model T Touring car. He carried on family tradition and eventually restored two Model T and four Model A Fords. Four of his restored cars were gifted to the Nebraska Prairie Museum. He became a pilot in the early 1970s, owning part interest in three Cessnas over time. He built one of the earliest Digital Group computers and assisted friends and businesses in computer usage. Foremost, he became an enthusiastic collector of American art books. He upheld Thomas Jefferson's famous words, "I cannot live without books." In 2009, his world-class library of 12,000 books and pamphlets established the Stuart P. Embury Library of American Art at the University of Nebraska Love Library. He was a trustee of the University of Nebraska Foundation. In 2023, he was named for a distinguished honor, an Alumni Master in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Nebraska.

Dr. Embury prized the expressiveness of the written word, writing a popular quarterly column, "Musings of a Physician" for the Cornhusker Family Physician magazine. In the art world, he became fast friends with Italian-American artist, Luigi Lucioni, and subsequently wrote three books on Lucioni's paintings and etchings.

He was a founding member of Spirit of Grace Lutheran Church and served on the finance team. His Christian faith and values were suffused in and informed all aspects of his life.

He gave his time and efforts to the Holdrege community by serving on the Holdrege Board of Education for 16 years. Especially satisfying were serving on the building committees for the Tassel Performing Arts Center, the Holdrege Middle School, the hospital expansion and the medical office building. In later years, he accepted the leadership of Citizens for Bronze Art, organizing the fund-raising, purchasing, and placement of several pieces of public bronze art in Holdrege. In his final act of public involvement, he was an enthusiastic promoter, supporter, and committee member for the development of the Midtown Sculpture Garden.

The Emburys relished travel and especially savored hiking in the European countryside. Dr. Embury introduced each of his children and oldest grandsons to international travel by taking them individually to Europe.

Dr. Embury deeply cherished his beloved family, his home, his spiritual faith, and his community. His life and legacy will live on in the places and people whose lives were influenced and enhanced by his love and care.

Surviving him are his loving wife of 57 years, Lynn; devoted children, Amy Patrick (Tom), Loveland, Colorado, Andrew (Mandy), Omaha, Benjamin (Isabelle), Hanoi, Vietnam; grandchildren, Kodie Embury, Omaha, Christian Patrick, Omaha, Connor Patrick, Loveland, Julien and Matheo Embury, Hanoi, Vietnam; great-grandchildren, Chanel and Hudson Embury, Omaha; siblings, Alan (Deb) Embury, Lincoln; and Linda Monson, Crestview, Fla.; nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Roberta; father and stepmother, Paul and Lucille Embury; and sister-in-law, Jacqueline Embury.

A memorial book signing will be held on Friday, November 7, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

Memorials are kindly suggested to Spirit of Grace Lutheran Church, Christian Sojourn Haiti, The Tassel Performing Arts Center, or the Embury Library Excellence Fund at the University of Nebraska.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.

NELSON-BAUER FUNERAL HOME

401 BURLINGTON STREET

HOLDREGE, NE 68949

308-995-4114