Albert I. “Deck” Decker was born in Coffeyville, Kansas on February 20, 1921 and died in Lawrence, Kansas on June 28, 2015. He was the son of Albert I. Decker, Sr. and Lavonia Hickey Decker. In 1935, the family moved to Lawrence where Deck completed high school. He received a B.A. degree from the University of Kansas where he was a Summerfield Scholar and a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He graduated from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1944.
As a Navy medical officer, he served in World War II and the Korean War. He remained in the Naval Reserve retiring as a Commander in 1980. He practiced medicine for almost forty years, in Kansas City, MO and in Melbourne, FLA. He was a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
On February 28, 1946, Deck married his great love, Marie Elizabeth Williams, who passed away in 2011. He is survived by their children, Linda of Truro, MA and Jeffrey of Driggs, ID, their grandson, Brett Decker, Brett’s wife, Katelyn, their daughters, Lucy and Clara, of Syracuse, NY, many wonderful nieces and nephews and his special angel, Kathy Cook. His sister, Dorothy Anderson, and brother, William, predeceased him. The last of the siblings, Charles, died in March, 2016.
Dr. Decker was a member of the Greene County Medical Society, The Missouri State Medical Association, the American Medical Association, St. John’s Regional Medical Center (honorary staff), MENSA, the League of Women Voters, and Christ Episcopal Church in Springfield, Mo where he served on the vestry.
In retirement, Deck became increasingly interested in the issue of human population growth and its impact on the environment. He belonged to Zero Population Growth, the Environmental Collaborative of the Community Partnership of the Ozarks, and served on the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
Friends and family will gather to remember him this Father’s Day weekend in Lawrence. His generous spirit and quiet wit are sadly missed.
To Dr. Decker’s family
Deck and I attended LMHS at the same time. He was in the class of 1938 and I in the class of 1939. We were good friends, and were on the high school debate team together. We called him Al during his high school years.
I remember that he was a curb hop at the drug store on 9th street during his high school years — always serving everyone with a smile.
Deck was an inspiration to all of us — so cheerful, witty and intelligent. We lost track of him after he graduated from KU and Med School, but when he and Marie moved back to Lawrence, they contacted Glee and me and we enjoyed going out to dinner together.
After Marie died, we visited Deck at his apartment in Brandon Woods.
We pray for your strength and faith during this trying time for all of you.
With special caring, Glee and Jerry Buhler Smith — 4313 Quail Pointe Road, Lawrence.
I was sorry to hear of Deck’s passing. He was a wonderful, charming, intelligent, cheerful man, usually humming and smiling. He was my father’s closest friend from the class of ’38. We enjoyed visiting with him at Brandon Woods over the years and sharing meals. Our condolences to his children and other loved ones.
I’m sorry to hear of Dr. Decker’s passing. He was a great, long-time friend of my father-in-law, Bill Pendleton. He and “Deck” spent a lot of time together over the years. I’ll miss Deck’s constant good cheer and his musical humming to fill the spaces in conversation. Condolences to his family.
So sorry to here about dr decker
I’ll miss him driving his car he always has a smile god bless robyn