A combined 190 years of serving patients. Four retiring Galesburg doctors honored for service

News Reports
·3 min read
From left, Drs. Robert Currie, Robert Wagner, Carl Strauch and Jeffrey Hill are retiring from their practices at the professional building attached to Cottage Hospital on Dec. 31. They have between 42 and 54 years of experience each practicing medicine, a combined 190 years serving patients.
From left, Drs. Robert Currie, Robert Wagner, Carl Strauch and Jeffrey Hill are retiring from their practices at the professional building attached to Cottage Hospital on Dec. 31. They have between 42 and 54 years of experience each practicing medicine, a combined 190 years serving patients.

GALESBURG — Four doctors, each with decades practicing in Galesburg, were honored last Saturday night by their staffs with a retirement dinner.

According to a news release, the retirement dinner was held at The Kensington ballroom for Drs. Jeffrey Hill, Robert Wagner, Robert Currie and Carl Strauch. They are retiring from their practices at the professional building attached to Cottage Hospital on Dec. 31. They have between 42 and 54 years of experience each practicing medicine, a combined 190 years serving patients.

Dr. Hill, Wagner and Currie, along with the late Dr. Jackson Erffmeyer and the late Dr. Richard Bick, were providers at original Medical Arts Clinic. Each physician is involved in family practice medicine. They transferred from their old location at Seminary and Grove streets to the present location in the Cottage Medical Plaza in 2001.

Dr. Keith Peachey was the keynote speaker. He practiced at Medical Arts for nearly 30 years before starting a practice at OSF Healthcare. He recounted several experiences over his years at Medical Arts that contributed to his practice of medicine.

Peachey made note of the caring and professional manner of each of the four doctors. He praised the staff members who put together the retirement dinner and invited current and former staff of the four doctors. Dr. Peachey called on all attendees to reflect on their memories, experiences and what they learned while working for each of the four doctors. Peachey pointed out that it was because of the hard work and dedication of the staff to the patients that these doctors were able to deliver quality care to the Galesburg community.

The event was hosted by The Kensington which donated the location for the dinner. Food was catered by Shirley Chu, owner of Tres Café on Lincoln Street. Chu donated the dinner in honor of the doctors and to recognize their long years of service to the Galesburg community. Approximately 95 people attended the event.

Dr. Jeffrey Hill is a 1967 graduate of the University of Wales, Welsh National School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Wycombe General Hospital in Buckinghamshire, England. He began practicing medicine 54 years ago and like the other doctors honored, has treated thousands of Galesburg area residents across four generations.

Dr. Robert Currie graduated from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria in 1974. He completed his residency at Methodist Medical Center of Illinois – Peoria. Dr. Currie is board certified in family medicine and has practiced medicine for 47 years.

Dr. Robert Wagner also is a 1974 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and was a classmate of Dr. Currie while at the medical college. Dr. Wagner is board certified in family medicine and has been in practice for 47 years.

Dr. Carl Strauch is a 1979 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He completed his residency at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is board certified in internal medicine. He has 42 years of experience.

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Retiring Galesburg doctors honored for decades of service