Dr. John David “Buzz” Gebhard, periodontist, gardener, amateur forester and meteorologist, honorary admiral in the Texas Navy, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and cousin passed away on February 9, 2023, surrounded by family after a brief illness.
Buzz was born in Des Moines, IA to John and Esther, joining his older sister Joan. When he started to crawl, Joan proclaimed he looked like her toy Buzzy Bee, and the name stuck for the rest of his life. The family moved to Dallas and was joined by younger siblings, Bob, Bill, and Mary. The family returned to Iowa yearly and formed strong bonds with the Iowa family which continue to this day. In Dallas, Buzz attended St. Pius X Catholic School and Bishop Lynch High School. In 1969, he started at the University of Texas at Austin. In Austin, he met his future wife, Becky Boer, and won her over with his unique worldview, love of bizarre trivia, scruffy red beard and long hippie hair, and quiet fishing trips. One of their first dates was to a Vietnam War protest on the UT campus, soon after the bombing of Cambodia became public. The two married in 1973 and moved to Houston where he attended dental school at the UT-Houston Dental Branch. After dental school, Buzz matriculated to what was then Baylor College of Dentistry for post-graduate work in periodontics. The couple and a new baby moved to Sherman in 1979 so he could open the practice that he ran for 43 years. He was dedicated to the oral health of his patients, working right up until the day he had emergency surgery in mid-December and became too ill to return. He loved the patients he was privileged to serve. His patients tell fond stories of the songs he would sing (often original, hilarious, and mildly inappropriate parodies) and the stories he would tell as he worked with their mouths agape, unable to respond (but he still picked up many great stories and bits of trivia from his patients).
Many of his stories were about his four intelligent, hilarious, and modest children. He was proud of their accomplishments even as they drove him absolutely crazy in other ways. He was a uniquely wonderful father who passed many of his passions to his children. He created elaborate bedtime stories for them, many featuring a little girl name Lydia from International Falls, MN with detailed descriptions of tornados, blizzards, and other “meteorological phenomena” that her family endured. He was once president of the St. Mary’s School Board and dedicated countless hours of manual labor to the school, including an outdoor classroom that still stands. He always helping with homework, coming up with way above grade-level ideas for science projects and paper topics, watching sporting events and band competitions, and stitching up minor wounds on both children and pets. He spent years volunteering as a Boy Scout leader, continuing long after his sons had made Eagle Scout and left for college. He would haul his wife, children, nieces, nephews, and siblings on his boat for amazing lake adventures every summer. Later in life, he was an excellent grandfather. Little kids flocked to him, and he was always fascinated by their interests and stories. He spent hours exploring creeks and the outdoors with them, teaching them about geology, fossils, plants, and weather. As he did for his children, he attended plays, awards ceremonies, and sporting events to cheer them on. He went on many vacations with family, creating wonderful memories.
Many people have called him the most intelligent and intellectually curious person they ever met. He was undoubtedly one of the funniest, with a deeply sarcastic and quick wit. With impeccable timing and deadpan delivery, his jokes would cut through light and serious situations. He had a knack for spinning ridiculous stories that could trick even those who knew him well. For example, pepperoni is made from the last marsupial indigenous to Europe, which is prized for its naturally savory meat. Or one New Year’s Day, our family failed to eat black eyed peas for good luck and the dog was subsequently hit by a meteorite. A decade-long running joke amongst the Boy Scouts and leaders about his adventures in the Polish Navy (Jet Ski Division) culminated with him being awarded an appointment as an admiral in the Texas Navy in 2000 by Governor Bush (it’s a real thing).
He had many interests and could talk about them for hours – power tools, physics, history, meteorology, geology, horticulture, Dr. Who, Star Wars, and restoring the family farmhouse near Austin. And Buzz LOVED projects. For years, he would load his boat down with sapling trees several times a month and plant them on the eroding islands of Lake Texoma. After a hailstorm destroyed the roof for the fourth time, Buzz decided he could re-roof it better than the professionals and did so one Texas summer with the exceedingly begrudging assistance of his sons. That roof is still perfect 20 years later. When his granddaughter kept trying to make a Moana boat out of cardboard for her pool, her Papa Buzz made an excellent wooden replica that lasted for years. He was always ready to help with (or just take over) anything his children wanted done. And we would be remiss to not mention his devotion to the true love of his life, his garden, where he grew fruits and vegetables with slavish attention (all grieve the loss of his tomatoes). He volunteered with the local Kiwanis Club. He loved fishing, camping, boating, travel, and just being outside.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Esther, his lovely and beloved big sister Joan Gebhard Allison, his cousins Mike (“Fun Uncle Mike”) Kenneally and Patty Hersmon, nephew Michael Boer, and many aunts and uncles.
He is survived by Becky, his wife of 49 years; their four children and their spouses, Carolyn Johnson (Victor) of Dallas, Thomas Gebhard (Annie) of Minneapolis, Daniel Gebhard (Jennifer) of San Antonio and Margaret Frank (Jeff) of Eugene, OR; his seven perfect grandchildren, Annaliese Johnson, Owen Gebhard, Andrew Gebhard, Zachary Johnson, Benjamin Gebhard, Elizabeth Gebhard, and Joan Frank; his siblings, Bob Gebhard, Bill Gebhard, and Mary Hausman; sisters-in-law Jan Gebhard, Cathy Gebhard, and Lynne Boer; brothers-in-law Bob Allison and Paul Boer; cousins, nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, three dogs, and a cat (he might not have claimed the pets as family, but they adored him). We lost him too early. All who loved him have a hole in our hearts, but we will sustain ourselves with thousands of memories that will make us laugh every day.
Visitation will be Friday, February 17th from 5-7 with a rosary at 7.p.m. at Sparkman-Crane, 10501 Garland Road, Dallas. Friends and family are invited to Carolyn’s home after for a German-style wake (modified Buzz joke there). A funeral mass for the celebration of his life will be Saturday, February 18th at St. Monica Catholic Church, 9933 Midway Road, Dallas, with a reception to follow. Please reach out to Carolyn for with questions, hotel information, etc.
Donations in Buzz’s memory can be made to the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, which has provided amazing services for one of his grandchildren. Donate online at allinahealth.org/give2couragekenny and chose “Courage Kenny Foundation” or by mail to Allina Health Foundation, 2925 Chicago Ave. S., Mail Route 10721, Minneapolis, MN 55047 with a memo or note that it is for the Courage Kenny Foundation in honor of Dr. John Gebhard.
In the words of the greatest American writer (per Buzz), so long, and thanks for all the fish. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Crane.com for the Gebhard family.
