Dr. Robert C. Shoemaker, 87, of Ridge Avenue in Claremont, NH died on Saturday, June 15, 2013 at the Sullivan County Healthcare in Unity, NH. He was born on August 15, 1925, the son of Robert and Elizabeth (Wells) Shoemaker.

He graduated from Williams College, class of 1947. He was class president at Boston University Education of Medical where he graduated in 1949. He had interned at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Cleveland, OH from 1949- 1950. He was at the United States Naval Hospital from 1951 – 1952 and was a Resident in Orthopedic Surgery at Hospital of University of PA from 1952- 1953.

He was a Lieutenant in US Navy and was awarded the Bronze Star for heroism in action in the Korean War.

He worked for the Hitchcock Clinic in Hanover, NH from 1955 – 1962, Strong Medical Hospital, Rochester General Hospital and St Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, NY from 1962- 1964, and at Claremont General Hospital, Newport Hospital, New London Hospital, Rockingham Hospital, Windsor Hospital and Alice Peck Day Hospital. He retired from active practice in December of 1994 and did independent medical exams until March of 2002.

He was the President of the Claremont General Hospital Staff. On the board of Councilors of the American Academy, chairman of Orthopedic Surgeons, Board of Directors of AAOS, member of the Liability Panel NHMS and a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Eastern Orthopedic Society and New Hampshire Orthopedic Society. His success as a surgeon was largely due to his philosophy, “I treated all patients as if they were my own family”.

His hobbies were woodworking, gardening, tennis, golf, fly fishing, history, bridge and listening to music like folk, old jazz and classical.  He was the author of the book “A Surgeon Remembers, Korea 1950 – 1951 and the Marines”.

The family includes his wife, Betty (Freeman) Shoemaker whom he married on March 2, 1968; his children, Robert C. Shoemaker, III, Susan Shoemaker and William R. Shoemaker; step children, Dwight Chellis, Stephen Chellis and Kristen Chellis; one sister, Nancy Confar.

He was predeceased by his brother F. Wells Shoemaker.

Friends and family may call at the Stringer Funeral Home, 146 Broad Street in Claremont on Tuesday evening, June 18^th from 6 to 8PM.

Funeral services will be held at the First Congregational Church on Pleasant Street on Wednesday, June 19^th at 11AM.

Burial will be held at a later date.

A reception will follow at New Social’s on Pleasant Street in Claremont.