Ivan M. Spear ’44

Dr. Ivan M. Spear ’44 died on October 18, 2014, at his home in Worcester, Massachusetts.

He was born in Portland on July 31, 1922, son of the late Roy Spear ’18, and prepared for college at Cape Elizabeth High School and Worcester Academy. A member of Chi Psi fraternity, he graduated cum laude from Bowdoin, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, with high honors in biology. Before choosing medicine, he concentrated his studies on ornithology, and remained a passionate bird watcher all of his life. As a teenager, he seized an opportunity to sail with Macmillan on one of his arctic explorations, and later gave lectures on his experience to help pay for his studies. He earned a master of surgery and MD at McGill University in 1945, a master of surgery degree in orthopedic surgery at University of Minnesota in 1952, and completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic. He served to captain in the Army Medical Corps after World War II. He practiced orthopedic surgery intensively in Worcester for nearly half a century. In the course of his career, he cared for thousands of patients regardless of their means. He served as a trustee of Worcester Academy, include three years as president of the trustees, and Garland Junior College. He was inducted into the Worcester Academy Hall of Fame in 1987. He cherished his native Maine and contributed generously to the renaissance of the Spear farm in Warren, in the family since before the American Revolution. He is survived by his wife of 12 years, Virginia Herideen Spear; daughters Wendy S. Mayrose and Penelope S. Kaczyk; son Brian Hartwell Spear; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and sister Joanne McBrien. He also had a half-brother, Geoffrey Spear ’75. He was pre-deceased in 1999 by his wife of 53 years, Hope Hartwell Spear.

Add a Reminiscence:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *