1946

Donald Lawson (MCU) was born on April 10, 1923 to Charles Lawson and Jessie Handsor on Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He passed away on October 23, 2022, surrounded by friends and family. He began his practice in Evanston in 1947 with four other physicians and had a thriving optometric practice. He was very active in developing a tutoring program in the Evanston school system and served on the advisory committee of the Evanston Child Care Center.

1947

Orlou Reitz Raeber Burkemper, (NICO), 96, died  peacefully on February 15, 2023, surrounded by family. Dr. Reitz was the first optometrist in Waterloo. She began her practice in September 1947 and for 20 years was the only eye doctor serving the community. During her professional career, Dr. Reitz became active with the humanitarian organization Volunteer Optometrists in Service to Humanity. 

1949

Herschel York (NICO), age 100, passed away peacefully on November 27, 2022, beloved husband of the late Jewel York, nee Golden, cherished father of Clifford York, Cathy (Arthur) York Richards, and the late Susan (Sheldon) York Wittenberg, loving grandfather of seven grandchildren, great grandfather to seven great-grandchildren.

Morris Ossias Mission Viejo (NICO), passed away on February 4, 2022, just 3 months shy of his 102nd Birthday. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II, and was stationed at an air base near Fairbanks, AK, working with the Air Force's weather predictors, to provide information useful to our forces in the Pacific theater. 

Michael Joseph Kacere Sr. (NICO), was born on May 17, 1922 in Cedar Rapids, IA and passed away peacefully on Feb. 1, 2023 at the age of 100 surrounded by his loving family. Mike was a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 until 1945. He was a navigator on the B-17 bomber and completed 25 missions in the European theater of operation. After the war, Mike decided to use his G.I. Bill to become an optometrist. 

Lester Caplan (NICO), of Rancho Mirage, CA, passed away on Friday, December 2, 2022 at the age of 98. Lester was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and then began his professional career as a Doctor of Optometry as a private practitioner in Baltimore, MD. After the passing of his first wife, he had another successful career as an academic at the University of Alabama where he was Assistant Dean and retired Professor Emeritus. He became a leader in public health optometry at the local, state and federal level. He is recognized as the father of optometry in the Indian health service. He made many trips to the reservations out west to ensure that Native Americans were getting proper eye care. 

Arthur Rubin (NICO), passed away peacefully on November 27, 2022 at the age of 95. Dr. Rubin had been a member of the Illinois and American Optometric Associations, and the Rock Island County Optometric Society. He had been a Fellow in the American Academy of Optometry and served on the Illinois Optometric Executive Board and the Illinois Vision Service Plan. 

Alfred A. Gossan (NICO), of Escanaba, age 95, passed away on September 8, 2022. He spent a year at Wilson Community College before joining the U.S. Navy in 1945, where he worked in the eye clinic at Chelsea Naval Hospital and was inspired to begin a career in optometry. 

Joseph Philip Roumain ("Doc") (NICO), 98, was born in Baton Rouge, LA on August 18, 1924, and passed away peacefully on October 19, 2022.  He volunteered for the military and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II, where he flew missions to Okinawa.  He was an active member and past president of the Lakeshore Lions Club with perfect attendance for 60 years and was also a member of the chamber of commerce.