Tributes

William Allan Kuebker of San Antonio, TX, left this earth to be with his Lord and Savior in the early morning hours of June 21, 2013, after a brief yet brave battle with lung cancer. Diagnosed with the disease in March 2013, like everything in his life, Bill faced his cancer with dignity and a strength that was inspiring to witness. Born in Mandan on June 12, 1931, to William and Verda nee Brown Kuebker, Bill was raised in nearby New Salem, North Dakota, where his parents ran the town bakery. He met his future wife, Joan in their junior year while attending New Salem High School. Their first date, Valentine's Day of 1948, set the stage for a nearly 57-year marriage filled with love, mutual respect and an abiding dedication to one another. For nearly 10 years until her death on April 16, 2012, of Lou Gehrig's disease, Bill tended to all of Joan's needs as her primary caregiver. He missed her terribly, and his family takes great comfort in knowing that he is, again, reunited with his only love, Joan. Bill attended Jamestown College in Jamestown, N.D., where he studied chemistry. After his junior year, he was accepted to and began attending Northwestern Dental School in Chicago on an Air Force scholarship. Bill and Joan married in 1954, and their first son, Craig William, was born in 1955. In 1956, Bill received his Doctor of Dental Surgery DDS, after which he and his small family moved to Bill's first Air Force assignment, Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota. Their daughter, Candace Jean, joined the family in 1956. Bill's 20-year career in the Air Force took his family to Pfalsbourg AFB in France, Scott AFB in Illinois during which time he received his specialty training in prosthodontics at Washington University in St. Louis, Offutt AFB in Nebraska where their second son, David, was born in 1964, Hickam AFB in Hawaii, Lackland AFB in Texas, and Chanutte AFB in Illinois. It was while at McGowan Dental Clinic at Lackland AFB, where Bill helped to establish a student residency program in prosthodontics, that he realized his love of teaching. After retiring from active duty in 1975 as a full colonel, Bill took a position as an assistant professor at the fledgling University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio Dental School. Through his 25-year teaching career at UTHSCSA, he attained the rank of full professor, and served as the school's Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 1988 to 1995, and chaired the Department of Prosthodontics from 1995 to 2000 during years in which the dental school was rated as the best in the country. The honorary title of Professor Emeritus was bestowed upon him upon his retirement. Always a humble man, even his family was often only peripherally aware of his many accomplishments: he was military consultant in prosthodontics to the Air Force Surgeon General from 1966 to 1973; inductee to, and president of, the Mu Nu Chapter, OKU Honorary Society; an elected Fellow in the American College of Dentists; charter member and president of the American College of Prosthodontics where he also served on the Board of Directors and as president of the organization's Education Foundation and recipient of the ACP's President's Award in 1992 and the ACP's first Distinguished Award in 1994. Bill served as ACP delegate to the Federation of Prosthodontics Organizations for many years, becoming FPO president in 1991-1992. Bill was a well-respected and prolific contributor to professional publications, wrote chapters in seven professional textbooks, and co-authored the seminal textbook, "Clinical, Removable, Partial Prosthodontics." Bill and Joan's three children are graduates of St. Mary's University and, along with Joan, Bill threw himself into the University with passion, attending countless events, and traveling the country to attend basketball games. Bill and Joan were exceptionally proud when they were selected for induction in the St. Mary's University Athletics Hall of Fame as Associates in 2002. Over the years, Bill and Joan opened their hearts and their home to friends they made through St. Mary's, and to the St. Mary's friends and families of their children. Bill was caring, humble, a brilliant dentist and teacher, possessed of a wicked dry sense of humor and a gentleness that endeared him to all who knew him. Bill is preceded in death by his wife, Joan, his parents, William and Verda Kuebker; brothers Harold, Kenton, Art and Bob, and sisters Wilda, Ruby and Dorothy. He is survived by his sister Grace Mueller of California; son Craig and his wife Jeanne, daughter Candace, son David and his wife Michelle; grandchildren Jennifer Ramos and her husband Israel, Joseph and his wife Lezlie, Zachary, Emily and Madison; and great-grandchildren Ella Kathryn Ramos and Heidi Marie Kuebker. It was with great anticipation that Bill looked forward to the birth of two new great grandchildren who will be born in the coming months to Joe and Lezlie Kuebker and Jennifer and Israel Ramos. The family would like to thank all of the doctors, nurses and caregivers who cared for Bill at home and at Southwest Texas Methodist Hospital during his final months of life. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, 2013, at Mission Park Funeral Chapels North, 3401 Cherry Ridge, with a brief memorial program at 7 p.m. Services will be held on Friday, June 28, 2013, at St. Luke Catholic Church, 4603 Manitou, with Mass at 9:30 a.m., followed by interment at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St. Mary's University Buddy Meyer Scholarship Fund, One Camino Santa Maria, San Antonio, TX 78228, or the ALS Association South Texas Chapter, 8600 Wurzbach Rd., Suite 700, San Antonio, TX 78240.

Tributes

William A. Kuebker

June 25, 1931 - June 25, 2013