Dr. Robert Delevan Mussey was born in Rochester, Minn. in 1916, the third of five children of Dr. Robert Daniel Mussey and Madge (Ayers) Mussey. His father was the founder of the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Mayo Clinic about 1911, and later became Chairman of the Board of Overseers. He was descended from five generations of doctors, including the first, Dr. Reuben Dimond Mussey, professor of Medicine at Dartmouth College and later a founder of the Cincinnati Medical College. His mother was a nurse at Cincinnati General Hospital and at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Rochester. A brother and a sister of Dr. Mussey were also doctors and two sisters were nurses.

He attended Rochester High School and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1938 after his father "suggested" he attend there. He then studied at the University of Minnesota Medical School, graduating in 1942. He served his internship in 1942 at Cincinnati General Hospital. While there, another intern and his future brother-in-law Lowe Wiggers introduced him to his future wife, Jean Wiggers, as he liked to say "on a street corner." Their first date was in the pouring rain at a football game of the University of Cincinnati. They dried off enough to marry in 1943, then moved to Rochester, Minn. where he began his residency at the Mayo Clinic immediately after marriage.

He was in the United States Navy Reserve beginning in 1938 and was called to active duty as a doctor in 1944. He served initially at the Naval Hospital in Oakland, CA then was assigned to the U S Marine Corps. He served in 1944 and 1945 first at Oahu, Hawaii, later at Saipan in the 2nd Marine Division Medical Battalion. He then served at Okinawa, again at Saipan until the atomic bombings of Japan, and later at Nagasaki. He was reassigned to the 5th Marine Division for his return home. He found this last ship voyage particularly appealing since they could finally have the lights on board the ship at night as the war had concluded. He returned to Long Beach CA in 1945 and was discharged in 1946.

He served as resident at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. from 1946 to 1948, living in luxurious retired officers' quarters in a brand new metal Quonset hut. He then worked at the Beekman Hopital in New York City 1948-1949 before being hired as head Orthopedic Surgeon by Carle Clinic in Urbana in 1949 only eighteen years after its founding. He worked there continuously for over forty-five years. For many years he was the only Orthopedist at the Clinic as many doctors preferred working at larger hospitals or in their own practices. As a result, he was the only Orthopedist on-call for many years. Eventually, other doctors joined the department of which he remained head. In 1981, he discontinued operating but for many years after, he assisted in surgery and was a consulting surgeon. During this last phase, he worked closely with Carle staff member Dr. Donald Ross who had formerly had his own private orthopedic practice in town.

He was a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and former President of the Illinois Chapter of the American College of Surgeons and the Illinois Orthopedic Association. He was also a member of the Mid-American Orthopedic Association, the Clinical Orthopedic Society and the Illinois Orthopedic Society. He participated for several years in the University of Illinois "Crippled Children's Clinic", treating among others, many polio victims. Always modest, he summed up his contributions to Carle Clinic, with "I was a worker -- nothing original, I treated a lot of patients."

He will be remembered for his quiet generosity, gentle sense of humor, his unfailing code of honor and duty, and his unpretentious mien. Carle staff also remember his love of obscure words, which led to his daily chalkboard postings in the operating room of "The Word of the Day". His pleasure was scarcely hidden when no one but he could define them. Dr. Mussey nourished the family tradition of memorizing nonsense verse, especially of Lewis Caroll, with "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky" his specialties. It seemed to his children that he had a quip for every occasion -- "Here's your hat, what's your hurry?", or after dinner to his son, "Well, s'pose you'll ever amount to much?"

He and his beloved wife Jean who died in 1999 were generous friends of and contributors to the Carle Foundation, the Mayo Foundation, the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and sponsors of several graduate music students there. The Rose Gate Garden at the entrance to Carle Clinic was created in honor of Jean Mussey who was a founder of the Carle Hospital Auxiliary volunteers. He was awarded the Carle Cornerstone Award for significant contributions to building the Carle Foundation.

Dr. Mussey is survived by his wife, Elizabeth (Smith) (Sandage); daughters Carol of Champaign, Ann of Corbett, Oregon, and Ruth of Cambridge, Wisconsin; sons Robert Jr. of Milton, Massachusetts, and David of Stockton Springs, Maine; six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 26 at the First Presbyterian Church of Champaign, Rev. Chuck Carlson and Rev. Dick Wiggers will officiate. A private burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Urbana. A reception will immediately follow the memorial service at the church. Renner-Wikoff Chapel and Crematory, Urbana is in charge of arrangements.

Memorial gifts may be given to the Carle Center for Philanthropy or the First Presbyterian Church of Champaign.

Condolences may be offered at www.rennerwikoffchapel.com.