Talmage Gordon Hiebert, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., M.D., clinical physiologist, scientist, educator, author, and international consultant, formerly of Geneva, IL, Ann Arbor, MI, and Interlochen, MI, died May 3, 2019 in Traverse City at the age of 94. He was born May 13, 1924 in Burrton, KS, the fourth of seven children. He was the son of the Reverend Peter Nicholas and Helen Kunkel Hiebert.
He received an B.A. degree from the University of Kansas. He received his M.A., Ph.D., and M.D. degrees from George Washington University. He did a medical internship at the University of Chicago Medical Center and graduate training in disability and rehabilitation medicine at Hines VA Hospital/Loyola University, Chicago.
During his thirty-five years of academic affiliation, he held teaching and/or research positions at George Washington University, the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, Northwestern University, and the University of Michigan. In 1974, he was appointed chief medical officer of the Social Security Disability Insurance Program for Region 5 and subsequently devoted his academic career to training physicians in improving standards for work disability evaluation and rehabilitation. He is credited with having assisted the development of the field of medical ergonomics. In 1979, he founded the American Disability Evaluation Research Institute (ADERI), an internationally known center for research in medical management of work injuries and disability evaluation and rehabilitation.
After his retirement in 1990, he continued to work with International Health Consultants (IHC), Helix International (HI), and the American Asian Business Offices (AABO), and was involved in several medical and industrial projects, including an invitation by the Chinese government to help procure additional iodine to stem their pandemic of goiter and cretin disease. He was also heavily involved in the UNICEF program to eliminate the worldwide scourge of iodine deficiency disorders.
He served on the advisory and/or scientific boards of several international organizations. He was on the Board of Directors of the Ecumenical Campus Center at the University of Michigan and the Mayor's Hospitality Committee of Ann Arbor. He was also a trustee of People to People International.
For most of his professional career he was deeply involved in the promotion of alternative approaches to health care, especially as related to mind-body-spirit healing. It was after his retirement that he wrote several of his best-known books, including, "Survival" – How to Fix the Coming Health Care Crisis, Death of the Doctor - Medical Practice in the Year 2000, and Anatomy of Worship.
On June 19, 1948, he married Laura Evalina (Toni) Franz of Hillsboro, KS, who consistently supported his professional work, and in fact, made it possible for him to complete all his schooling. They travelled extensively throughout the world, and from 1977-1979 lived in Bahrain. Together they were active in school, church, civic, and international student activities. He is survived by his wife and their three sons – Franz Kunkel (Julie Hamper) of Austin, TX, Fredrik Talmage (Katherine Moore) of Philadelphia, PA, Rudi Nicholas (Alma Riekert) of Brooklyn, NY, and five grandsons: Samuel (Regina Fritz) of Houston, TX, Simon of Austin, TX, Jacob of New York, NY, Peter of Philadelphia, PA, and James of Philadelphia, PA. His brother, Ray E. Hiebert (Sheila Gibbons) of Carmel, CA, and sister, Carol Hiebert Wiebe (John Wiebe) of Trinidad, CA also survive. His parents and brothers, Lester and Lowell, and his sisters, Evelyn Austin and Jesse Penner preceded him in death.
He was loved and will be greatly missed by his family, his many friends, and colleagues.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 20th, 2019 at 11 am at the Central United Methodist Church in Traverse City for family and friends. Dr. Heibert's personal website: www.talhiebert.com