A funeral service for former Ada physician, Dr. Robert Love, will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 26, at Hanson-Neely Funeral Home, Ada with Dr. Debow Freed and William Robinson officiating.
Following the service at the funeral home Military Honors will be conducted by the Ada VFW Post #9381 Honor Guard. Burial will be in Fairview Belle Center Cemetery, Belle Center, Ohio.
Friends may call 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, April 25, at Hanson-Neely Funeral Home, Ada, with a Masonic Memorial Service at 5 p.m. on Friday with the Latham Lodge #154 of Kenton.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Green Valley Community Church Music Fund or to the charity of your choice.
Condolences may be expressed at www.hansonneely.com
The following obituary was provided by the family.
Well-known Ada, Ohio physician, Dr. Robert Bradford Love, died in Green Valley, Arizona, Jan. 18, 2014. He was born in Westerville, Ohio, Oct. 13, 1920, to Rev. James R. and Mildred (Mount) Love.
He graduated from Lima Central High School, obtained his bachelor of science degree from Otterbein College and received his doctor of medicine (M.D.) degree from Western Reserve Medical School in 1947.
Dr. Love completed a medical residency in Riverside, Calif., prior to opening his practice in Ada in September 1950. In May 1951, a call to duty to serve as a doctor in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Korea (better known as a “Mash” unit), interrupted his Ada practice for two years. This was the second time he was recruited Dr. Love to serve in the Army, having also served during WWII. When he returned from Korea in July 1953, he reopened his office in Ada. Throughout most of his 39 years in his private practice, Dr. Love’s wife, Martha, was his office manager and nurse.
For 25 years, Dr. Love worked the equivalent of two full time jobs. In 1965, Dr. Love formed an Emergency Room Group with three other physicians to provide medical coverage for the Emergency Room at Lima Memorial Hospital. This was considered very innovative at that time.
In 1980, Dr. Love went to Blanchard Valley Hospital, Findlay, to establish a similar Emergency Room service there. He also went on to be part of the Emergency Room group at St. Rita’s in Lima until 1987. After closing his private practice in Ada, Dr. Love continued to practice with the Luke Medical Center in Lima until 1996.
Although respected throughout northwestern Ohio as a highly skilled, expert emergency room physician, Dr. Love’s passion was family medicine. He was very dedicated to his patients, making himself available to them 24 hours a day. He made house calls throughout his career. Dr. Love also served as Medical Advisor to the Ada Rescue Squad for many years.
Dr. Love married Martha (Bosse) in 1945 and they had two daughters, Jacqueline and Jo Ann. Martha died in October 1993. Dr. Love was also preceded in death by his sister, Donna Lord. Dr. Love is survived by his sister Gwyne (Roger) Anderson of Lebanon, Ohio; daughters: Dr. Jacqueline (Richard) Katzin of Connecticut and Jo Ann (Serge) Migdal of New York; three grandchildren: Nicholas (Stefanie) Katzin of Germany, Dr. Alexandra Migdal of Boston and Dr. Victoria Migdal of Nashville; one great-grandson Philipp Katzin of Germany; and spouse Leoma (Lee) Jeanne Wittenberg-Love.
Dr. Love and Lee married November 1997 in Ada. In 1999, they relocated to Green Valley, Arizona, where they enjoyed 16 joyful years together.
Known as “Dr. Bob” by many, as well as “a damned good doctor” by all, Dr. Love lived life to the fullest, enjoying music, travelling, photography, and trains of all sorts (especially engines). He was a collector of coins, stamps, Coca-cola memorabilia and Norman Rockwell prints. A philanthropist, Dr. Love gave generously to many organizations.
A memorial service was held at Green Valley Community Church on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014.
