Dr. Robert E. Carlovsky, age 86, of Waupaca, WI, passed away on Monday, April 27, 2020 at Bethany Home in Waupaca, WI.
“Doc” as he was fondly known to all sat down after a Bible study and wrote the following. He was born May 25, 1933 at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac, WI; son of Earl L. and Ida A. (Brown) Carlovsky. Bob was baptized in June 1933 at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Fond du Lac where he lived until 1940. When the family moved to Fond du Lac, he attended St. Peter’s Lutheran Grade School. Bob was confirmed in March 1947 and graduated from St. Peter’s school in June.
Bob entered Winnebago Lutheran Academy from which he graduated in 1951. In the fall of that year, he went to Valparaiso Lutheran University in Valparaiso, IN. Here he joined Tau Kappa Epsilon, was an assistant instructor in the biology labs, a house fellow in Barack “A”, and was elected to the Senior Men’s Honor Society. Bob graduated from Valparaiso University on August 25, 1955 with a bachelor’s degree and went on to attend the University of Wisconsin Medical School for four years in Madison, WI.
He worked at Madison General Hospital as a medical extern for three years. On June 16, 1958, Bob graduated and received his medical doctor degree. He went on to St. Joseph Hospital in Marshfield, WI as an intern for one year. In July 1959, Bob obtained his Wisconsin Medical License and joined the Wiley-Smith Clinic in Fond du Lac as a general practitioner. It was at the clinic where he met a secretary named Ruth Ann Burnett, whom he married on November 5, 1960 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. They lived in Fond du Lac until June 30, 1961 when they moved to Denver, CO where he began his pathology residency at Denver General Hospital. Bob worked under Dr. G.I. Ogura in the coroner’s office doing forensic exams.
In 1964, he and Ruth moved to Marshfield, WI for his final year in residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital. In July 1965, Bob and Ruth moved to Fond du Lac and joined Dr. R.W. Stuebe who was a great mentor and friend long after Dr. Stuebe retired, at St. Agnes Hospital in the practice of pathology. On September 30, 1965, he was certified by the American Board of Pathology to practice both clinical and anatomical pathology. In 1966, he also became the pathologist at Berlin Memorial Hospital. Bob opened Fond du Lac Pathology in 1968 as a private physician’s laboratory.
Bob became interested in Medicare and under the new federal regulations he helped to form the local county and area health care systems, serving on the Lake Winnebago Area Health Systems Board of Directors until 1982. In 1968, he joined the American Cancer Society. Bob served on the Fond du Lac County Board of Directors for 18 years and as a delegate at the state level. In 1972, he was appointed to the American Red Cross – Regional Blood Bank, on their medical advisory board.
In 1982, Bob took a position as pathologist at St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, IL. He also joined the instructional staff at the University of Illinois Medical School – Rockford Branch. Bob later became a pathologist at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Belvedere, IL. In 1984, he joined the board of directors of the Northern Illinois Blood Bank and served as assistant medical director. He retired on June 30, 1996 from practicing pathology in Rockford, IL.
He was a member of the American Medical Association, Wisconsin and Illinois State Medical Societies, Fond du Lac and Winnebago County Medical Societies, Wisconsin and Illinois State Pathology Societies, American Society of Clinical Pathologists, College of American Pathologists, and the International Association of Pathologists. Bob served on numerous committees of these organizations.
During all these years of dedication to medicine, work, and education he raised a beautiful family and was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was proud of each of us in our own individual ways and loved unconditionally. In his spare time, he enjoyed his family of five children. In 1967, they bought a cottage on Taylor Lake on the Chain O’ Lakes in Waupaca where summers were spent swimming and enjoying the sunsets. In 1970, they purchased a larger home on Long Lake in Waushara Co. from another mentor and family friend Dr. Robert Schroeder for his growing family. Here summers were spent swimming, waterskiing, fishing, boating and relaxing. In the winter months, they enjoyed downhill skiing, sledding down the steep hills along Long Lake, snowmobiling, and ice fishing. He purchased 73 acres on the Pine River for hunting, fishing and growing Christmas Trees which he would always try and find the largest trees for his homes and church (some that fit, but most were too tall). In late 1995, they started remodeling the Lake Home so it would become a permanent residency for their retirement.
Bob’s other joy in life was to serve his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He did this by serving on various committees, councils, and offices at Redeemer and Faith Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Fond du Lac, Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Loves Park, IL, and Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waupaca. He also served as a delegate to Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the North Wisconsin District.
On June 13, 2008, Ruth became suddenly ill and died at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh, WI. On September 17, 2011, Bob married Joanne (nee: Nitzke) Brinkman at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in West Bloomfield, WI.
Robert “Doc” is survived by his wife, Joanne Carlovsky of Waupaca, WI; his five children, Jill Carlovsky of Weston, WI, Michael Carlovsky of Winnebago, IL, Mark (Jami) Carlovsky of Waupaca, WI, Jayne Jansen of Wild Rose, WI, and Jennifer (Anthony) Cooper of Rockford, IL; his nine grandchildren, Brent, Chelsea, and Paige Carlovsky; Elliot and Allysin Carlovsky; Robert “Robbie” and Savannah Jansen; and Katrina and Alexus Cooper; a great-grandson, Kay’den Cooper; and an older brother, Earl Carlovsky of Chula Vista, CA. He is also survived by Joanne’s three children, Jonna Brinkman of Appleton, WI, Samuel (Ruth) Brinkman of Sun Prairie, WI, and Benjamin (Tammy) Brinkman of Oshkosh, WI along with numerous brothers and sisters in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, god children, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Ida Carlovsky, and his first wife, Ruth Ann Carlovsky whom he loved dearly.
A Private Family Funeral Service is being held due to the state restrictions regarding COVID-19. A live-stream service will be available on Thursday, April 30th at 1:00 p.m. from the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church website: www.immanuelwaupaca.com. Burial will take place at Springwater (First) Cemetery in the Town of Springwater, Waushara Co., WI. A memorial has been established in “Doc” Robert’s name to Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waupaca, WI. The Holly Funeral Home of Waupaca is assisting the family with arrangements. The family is so thankful for every minute and memory spent with him. We would also like to thank the nurses and doctors at Bethany Nursing Home along with Erica, Mandy, and the staff at Holly Funeral Home for your kindness and thoughtfulness in these unusual times.
As Doc, Dad, and Grandpa would say, “Life is Such and Such is Life”