It is with an overwhelming sense of loss that we we announce the passing of Dr. A Willard Emch on Friday June 26, 2020, after an ongoing battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Willard was born on March 5, 1937 in Toledo, Ohio to Arthur and Vera Emch and spent his childhood playing carefree in the woods around Woodville. He attended Capital University in Columbus, Ohio where he played collegiate basketball and met his future wife, Sharon Morris. After medical school at The Ohio State University, he completed his neurosurgery residency under the guidance of Dr. Bill Meacham at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. During his residency, he proudly served in the armed forces as a flight surgeon while stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. He always carried fond memories of his time in the service and the out and back missions he flew throughout his brief military career.
After residency, Dr. Emch returned to the Toledo area where he practiced neurosurgery at the Toledo Clinic and raised his family. He retired to Vero Beach, Florida, where he became the unofficial doctor and “mayor” of Sea Oaks. He continued to split his time between Vero Beach and Lakeside, Ohio, returning every summer to connect with childhood friends.
In addition to his esteemed career in medicine, he will forever be remembered as an incredibly devoted husband and for the great care he took of his wife of 44 years, Sharon, during her struggles with Parkinson’s. He remarried in 2006 and welcomed Ve and her son Max into the family.
Always active, he picked the banjo in various bluegrass bands in Toledo and Vero, enjoyed playing tennis with his wife, golf with his sons, making wooden toys for his grandchildren, fishing with friends, tinkering on birdhouses and orchid boxes around Sea Oaks, and sitting down with a Stroh’s and his friends. He devoted a lot of his retirement to building houses for Habitat for Humanity, remained active in Rotary, served on sundry boards, including the Toledo Zoo and the Parkinson’s Association, and was a faithful attendant and volunteer at the local Lutheran Church.
Willard is survived by his wife, Ve, two sons, A.W. and Doug, their wives, Deb and Marti, and his four grandchildren, Will, Bruce, Elliot, and Emma, as well as his step-son Max and his wife Elise. Willard will be remembered for his big personality, sense of humor, and generous way. In this life, he did good work and was deeply loved.
The Emch’s thank the generous staff at Abe’s Garden for their ongoing love, support, and guidance through these difficult times. We ask that donations be made in memory of Willard to Abe's Garden.
A celebration of his life will be held at a future date.
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