Dr. Charles Adolphus Buerk, 78, died March 18, 2015 surrounded by his family in Winter Springs FL.
He was born on February 8, 1937, in Chicago, IL to Edward and Elizabeth Buerk.
Services were private.
Dr. Buerk was an honors graduate of the University of Rochester and then received his Medical Doctorate at Case Western Reserve University. From 1964 to 1966, Charles proudly served as a Captain in the United States Air Force. He did his residency at University Hospital of Cleveland, Ohio. He began his career as Assistant Professor of Surgery at Tufts University in Boston, MA. He then became an Associate Professor of Surgery at The University of Colorado where he established the Burn Unit. Fluent in German he was Visiting Professor of Surgery at the University of Ulm in Ulm, Germany. His career then took him to the University of Nevada where he was Chairman and Professor of the Surgery Department, bringing the program through its first accreditation. During this time he was head of the burn unit and surgical residency program.
From 1987 to 1994 he headed the Level One Trauma Unit and the surgical residency program at Orlando Regional Medical Center. He ended his career as Professor of Surgery at Texas A & M, Associate Dean for Veterans Affairs and Chief of Staff at Central Texas Veterans Health Care System.
He was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Widely published within his specialties; Dr. Buerk authored several books, was a chapter author of numerous books and wrote dozens of peer-reviewed articles.
Having a passion for world history and culture, he travelled the globe always trying out the language and sampling the local food.
In his retirement, Charles who was a Master Gardener, stayed busy enjoying his garden, playing with his beloved dogs and watching his grandchildren grow.
He is survived by: his wife of 41 years, Marsha (Gardner); Children, James, Laurel, Chris, and Amanda; brother, Edward and grandchildren, Caitlyn, Charlie, Will and Ryan. He was predeceased by first wife Dorothea Rettig Buerk.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Humane Society or The Nature Conservancy.