Dr. Carl Birchard

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Dr. Carl Birchard, 78, a dedicated and beloved husband, father, grandfather, and orthopaedic surgeon from Chehalis/Centralia, died Sept. 10, 2018, while traveling on a 14 day Baltic Heritage Cruise in northern Europe with his wife and friends.

Carl was born June 10, 1940, in Grand Rapids, Mich., to Russell W. and Margaret A. Birchard, missionary parents who were on furlough. At six months, he returned with his mother, a registered nurse, his father, a Nazarene minister and two older sisters to Coban, Guatemala. Two younger sisters later were born to the family.

He received his early education in a one-room mission school and the first two years of his high school by correspondence. At 15, he left Guatemala to complete high school, graduating from Columbus High School in Wisconsin in 1958. Four years later, he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, with minors in theology and biology from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill. Olivet later honored Carl with the Outstanding Alumni Award.

Carl attended the University of Illinois’ College of Medicine on the Chicago campus, earning his medical degree and graduating as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society.

He married his college sweetheart, Dee (Delores) Sabik, March 22, 1963, in Kankakee, Ill. She was a registered nurse. Carl and Dee were devoted partners and soulmates in ministry, medicine and life.

Carl completed his internship and residency in orthopaedic surgery at Gorgas Hospital, an Army hospital in the former Panama Canal Zone. During this time, he received the Outstanding Public Service Award from the Canal Zone governor for his medical mission work among the remote Indian tribes of Panama. Carl and Dee flew in one engine planes to land on World War II jungle airstrips and rode upriver in dugout canoes to see patients in open-walled schools on stilts. He also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Church of the Nazarene International after pro bono pastoring an English speaking church in the Canal Zone and a Spanish speaking church in Panama.

After he completed his residency, the Birchards moved in 1973, to Williamson, W.V., where Carl was the only orthopaedic surgeon for seven rural counties. In 1975, they moved back to the Canal Zone, where he taught in the Gorgas teaching program and continued medical missions.

In 1978, the family, which now included sons, Kevin and Keith, moved to Lewis County, where Carl joined Dr's. Larry Hull and George Harper at Washington Orthopaedic Center in Centralia. Dee worked as his office nurse the last 17 years before they retired in 2004. However, during the next two years, he assisted his son, Dr. Keith Birchard, with spine surgeries.

Carl was active in the Centralia Nazarene Church as a leader, Sunday school teacher and participant in work and witness missions to Africa, Papua New Guinea, India, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Mexico.

For 7 and a half years, he served as scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 373 in Chehalis, growing it from three boys to more than 50. During his tenure, many of the boys, including his two sons, achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Carl enjoyed the outdoors, whether hiking, biking, fishing, boating or RVing. He loved traveling with his wife, Dee and together, they visited all 50 states in the United States and 100 countries on all six continents, including seven landings in Antarctica and RV camping in the Arctic. He enjoyed gardening, flowers, rocks and collected all kinds of rope and tools. Carl created beautiful wooden bowls on his lathe and enjoyed learning new skills. He was an avid reader of nonfiction but also enjoyed novels of adventure and international intrigue.

Carl was a devoted man of faith, husband, father and grandfather. He was a very special brother, uncle and friend. Carl was a humble and dedicated doctor and servant to humanity.

He is survived by his wife, Dee; sons, Kevin (Rhonda) Birchard; and granddaughters, Grace and Hope, all of Lake Oswego, Ore.; and Keith (Cecilia Hauer) Birchard and grandchildren, Nathaniel “Nate,” Ezra and Jane, all of Chehalis; three sisters, Anita Reglin of Olathe, Kan., Lois Dunn of Nampa, Idaho, and Rose Carnes of Nineveh, Ind.; as well as brothers-in-law; and nieces and nephews.

Carl was preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Margaret Birchard; and older sister, Mary Margaret Nash.

Interment took place at 2:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, at Claquato Cemetery in Chehalis. A community memorial service will begin at 3 p.m.,, Saturday, Oct. 20,  2018, at the Centralia Church of the Nazarene, 1119 W. 1st St., Centralia, WA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the worldwide Nazarene Compassionate Ministries fund, 17001 Prairie Star Parkway, Lenexa, KS 66220 (www.ncm.org).

The family wishes to thank all for their prayers, support and cards.