Obituary: Joseph Mark Shroyer
Prepared by the Shroyer Family
On Aug. 4th, 1932, Dr. Joseph Mark Shroyer (Joe) passed away at 91 on July 9th at Stony Brook University Hospital.
Born to Dr. Reed M. and L. Pearl Shroyer in Vincennes, Indiana, he grew up as the youngest of four. In Indiana, he learned the importance of hard work, education and family.
He, subsequently, completed his bachelor’s degree at the Indiana University, where he served as the president of the Acacia House and was a co-founder of the world-renowned Little 500 bicycle race.
Joe married Nancy Jane Morris, and his first child, Ken, was born, while attending medical school at Yale. Following graduation, Dr. Shroyer pursued training in experimental pathology, at the University of Rochester, in Upstate N.Y., where his daughter, Beth, was born.
Following this, Joe completed residency and clinical fellowships, in adult and pediatric orthopedics, at the Mayo Clinic, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the New Mexico State Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Shroyer enlisted as an officer in the U.S. Army in 1962, serving as a trauma and orthopedic surgeon, for almost nine years. He was the commanding surgeon of a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit in Vietnam, as well. Additionally, he was the chief of orthopedics at military bases, throughout the southwest.
Dr. Shroyer entered private practice in Pueblo, Colorado, in 1969, where he lived with Ken, Beth and his first wife, Nancy, until she passed away. In 1982, Dr. Shroyer married Joann Arnold, with whom he raised their daughter, Katie, and his stepson, Brian. Later in life, he married his high school sweetheart, Nancy Knowles, with whom he lived for many years before she passed away, last year.
Joe was an adventurer, avid horseman, skier, sailor and motorcyclist. He and the family traveled frequently to Kino Bay, on the coast of one of the most remote areas of Northwest Mexico, and to the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains.
He devoted his life to serving others, and was a role model to his children, grandchildren and those whose life he touched.
Dr. Shroyer is survived by his son, Ken, his wife, Laurie, his daughters, Beth and Katie, and his three grandchildren: Robert, Jessica and Brad.
A memorial service was held at the Three Village Church in Setauket.
