Robert Staughton Vannix

Robert "Bob" Staughton Vannix completed his humanitarian efforts on 14 May 2015, age 88, in the home he made in Glendale, CA 51 years ago. He was born in Grant City, Missouri, on 29 May 1926, the second of the three children, all boys, of Eloise Staughton Vannix and Cecil Hobart Vannix, Sr. His childhood was in small towns and road camps of the Midwest. He first moved to Glendale in 1938, and distinguished himself academically, graduating from Glendale Union Academy in 1943 as class president. His college years began at Walla Walla College, where he met his future wife and lifemate, Evelyn Ruth Gerling, but then WW II service interrupted both education and romance. He served in the US Army until honorable discharge on 27 July 1946. He resumed his illustrious academic achievements at La Sierra College, married his sweetheart Evelyn in 1947, and graduated as class president with a BA in Biology in 1949. He then followed the long road to achieve his dream of becoming a surgeon, attending the College of Medical Evangelists (now Loma Linda University School of Medicine), earning his MD in the class of 1953-B, then completing internship, residencies, and thoracic surgery fellowship at Los Angeles County Hospital (USC). He started his practice in Riverside, and while there the couple welcomed their only child, Kelley Michelle, but within a year they moved "back home" to Glendale, where Bob joined the prestigious surgical group of Joergenson & Prout, practicing the arts of vascular, thoracic, and general surgery at Glendale Adventist Medical Center and other local institutions, as well as maintaining professorships with LAC-USC and LLUMC. After retirement from 34 years in that group, he continued to practice "part-time" at the Jerry L Pettis VA hospital for more than a decade.

Dr. Vannix's work ethic was legendary, but he also managed to pursue many avocations with passion. He was an amateur photographer extraordinaire, and images he captured grace many a good friend's wall. He appreciated and collected the art of professionals as well, and supported the arts community regionally, as well as that of Southwest US Indian artists. He and Evelyn travelled, supported both of their extended families in innumerable ways, and gave back generously to the community of which they became an integral part; in total, Bob lived in Glendale for well over 60 years. He lost his beloved wife "Oney" in late 2010; he was also predeceased by his parents and his older brother, Cecil Hobart Vannix, Jr. He is survived by his younger brother, George Lea Vannix, of Somis, CA, his daughter, Kelley Shaffer of Redlands, CA, 4 granddaughters and 2 great-granddaughters, 3 cousins, one sister-in-law, 7 nieces and 5 nephews, and a host of adoring friends and many more distant relatives, as wall as by a human race that he served magnanimously and with distinction, from whom nary a day passed without expressions of deep gratitude for his acts of assistance.

A memorial service will be held at the Church of the Recessional at Forest Lawn, 1712 S. Glendale Avenue, Glendale, CA 91205, at 1:00 P.M. on Friday, 29 May 2015. Memorial contributions would be welcomed by his two collegiate alma maters: Walla Walla University, 204 South College Avenue, College Place WA 99324, (800) 541-8900; and La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, CA 92515, (800) 874-5587.