Roger Ben Samuelson, Emporia
1925 - 2007
Roger Ben Samuelson, 1314 Grand St., died Monday, Nov. 26, 2007, at Newman Regional Health. He was 82.
Mr. Samuelson was hospital administrator of Newman Memorial County Hospital from 1962 through 1987 and at the Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital in El Dorado from 1952 through 1962. He began his career as business manager of St. Luke’s Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., in 1949 and 1950. He then was district administrator at Lutheran Hospitals and Homes Society and at hospitals in Hugoton, Oakley and Oberlin, Kan., from 1950 through 1952. He retired 20 years ago.
The son of Paul A. and Ruth Johnson Samuelson, he was born June 7, 1925, at St. Paul, Minn. He graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Business in 1946 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in 1948 with a master’s degree in hospital administration.
He married Helen Holebink on April 22, 1949, at Minneapolis, Minn. She died Oct. 13, 2007, at Emporia.
Mr. Samuelson was a member of Emporia Masonic Lodge 12, York Rite of Freemasonry; Alpha Kappa Psi; Rotary Club; National League for Nursing; American Public Health Association; Kansas League of Community Hospitals; a life member of the American Hospital Association; Fellow with the American College of Hospital Administrators and member of its Council of Regents; member and director of the board of trustees of Midwest Hospital Association; Fellow with Royal Society of Health; Life Fellow with American College of Health Care Executives; member of the board of directors of Healthcare Stabilization Fund; member of the board of directors of Kansas Blue Cross; vice president of the Wichita Hospital Council; president and member of the board of trustees of the Kansas Hospital Association; member of the Advisory Hospital Council to the Kansas State Board of Health; chairman of Butler and Lyon County chapters of the American Red Cross; member of the Flint Hills and Lyon County Health Planning Councils and member of the Health Planning Commission of the Emporia Chamber of Commerce. He was a contributing author of Decision Making in Hospital Administration in 1960. He was named The Gazette Man of the Week in 1971.
He is survived by one daughter, Ruthann Resch of Emporia; one son, Lee R. Samuelson of Tacoma, Wash.; and three grandchildren. Two brothers, Karl Samuelson and Dennis Samuelson, died earlier.
The memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. The Rev. Kelley Lackey will conduct the service. Mr. Samuelson was cremated. Burial will be in St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Columbarium.
Memorial contributions to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church or the Emporia Friends of the Zoo may be sent in care of the Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, P.O. Box 175, Emporia, KS 66801.