Robert A. Liebelt Ph.D., M.D., Hon Dr. Med Sci

 Robert A. Liebelt, Ph.D., M.D., Hon. Dr. Med. Sci 
Robert Arthur Liebelt (February 3, 1927 – December 16, 2023) born in Chicago, Ill. Bob passed away peacefully on December 16th, 2023 at the Justin T. Rogers Hospice Center, in Copley, at the age of 96. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving as a combat aircrewman including a tour of duty in the southwest Pacific theatres.  Returning to civilian life, he enlisted in the U.S. Naval Organized Air Reserve and was awarded the Outstanding Naval Air Reservist Award in 1948.  Thanks to the G.I. Bill and scholarships, he completed a B.S. degree with honors at Loyola University in Chicago, an M.S. degree with honors from Washington State University, completed a fellowship at the University of Chicago and then completed the Ph.D. degree (Anatomy) with honors followed by the M.D. degree with honors at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. He joined the faculty at Baylor and was appointed Chairman of the Department of Anatomy before leaving to become the Provost of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.  While at Georgia, Dr. Stanley Olson asked him to join in starting a new medical school in northeast Ohio, the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, known today as the Northeast Ohio Medical University.  He served as Charter Dean and Provost/Dean, and was awarded the title of Dean Emeritus in 1990 along with the rededication of the Robert A. Liebelt, M.D. Lecture Hall on the Rootstown Campus.
After the medical college became accredited and had graduated two classes, he sought new challenges and became V. P. of Medical Education at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron.  But most importantly, he was asked to serve as Medical Director of Ignatia Hall Alcohol/Drug Treatment Center, a challenge he never faced before in his entire career.  He saw his first patient on February 2, 1983, and after treating nearly 16,000 patients he turned the reins over to an exceptionally outstanding colleague, Dr. Victoria Sanelli, M.D. in 2002.
For the next 10 years he continued to teach medical students addiction medicine and following the merger of St. Thomas and Akron City Hospitals to form Summa Health System, he served as Interim Director of Medical Education until a graduate of the Charter Class at the medical school, Dr. Joseph Zarconi, was appointed as Director and then V.P. of Medical Education and Research, at which time Bob served as Associate Director of Medical Education under Dr. Zarconi.  During this time he served as Chief of Addiction Medicine for the Summit County Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Board, facilitating treatment programs for the public sector, and was awarded Emeritus status.
Bob was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Medical Science by NEOMED in 2018, and also named Distinguished Physician at Summa, and received the Lifetime Achievement award at NEOMED.
As he gained more knowledge in the field of addiction medicine, including certification by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, he published two books, “Let’s Talk About Alcoholism” and “Straight Talk About Alcoholism” giving copies to his patients with the advice, “this is my medicine for you”.  He depended on ‘talk therapy’.  He also became more and more respectful and impressed with the role of Alcoholics Anonymous, especially its history of starting in Akron, OH, and in managing and controlling the incurable disease of alcoholism and other addictions.  He always considered it a privilege and honor being referred to as a “friend of AA”.
In addition to his love for teaching medical students, who voted him the Outstanding Basic Science Teacher at Baylor every year from 1961-1971, he was awarded the first Outstanding Distinguished Faculty Member award by the Baylor Alumni Association.  He was a very curious research investigator working with many graduate and medical students studying nutrition, cancer, obesity, and a host of other diseases in inbred strains of mice, which resulted in 303 scientific publications, chapters, and books.  One area he found interesting was his studies of the products of the beehive, resulting in his book, "The Health Secrets of the Beehive”.   He created and patented a laboratory technique similar to that used to diagnose diabetes mellitus, but instead was capable of determining one’s level of alcohol intake during the previous two months, a useful technology in the approach to fetal alcohol syndrome.
He is survived by his loving wife, Milotka, who was an everlasting inspiration and supported his many activities over the years.  Her practical solutions to what seemed to be insurmountable problems were just remarkable.  He also took great pride in the accomplishments of his five children: Ralph Liebelt, M.D. (Marie), Laurie Curfman, (Scott), Erica Liebelt, M.D., Nancy Guthrie (Bob), and Helen Liebelt, his nine grandchildren: Andrew, Stephen, Rebecca (Jim), Jim, Daniel, Maura (Pete), Bradley (Ellen), Alex, and Ethan, and his great grandchildren Wesley, Ivy, and Violet He is also survived by his brother, Arthur H. Liebelt (Donna). His parents, Arthur H. and Helen M. Liebelt, and his sister Rosalin, predeceased him.

 Per his request, private funeral services were held, followed by burial at The Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, OH.  A Celebration of Life will be held on the NEOMED Campus at a later date. 

Donations in Bob’s name can be made to the NEOMED Foundation (  www.neomed.edu  ) or the Summa Foundation. (  www.summahealth.org  )

Services in care of The Billow Funeral Homes & Crematory, Fairlawn Chapel, 85 N Miller Road, Akron, OH  44333