RDH, DDS

Roberta Lea Shaklee, RDH, DDS April 30, 1948 to August 29, 2014 Dr. Shaklee died on Friday Evening, August 29th at home, surrounded by her loving husband of 36 years, Ed Hurry, her niece Jenni Miller, and her oldest sister Marilyn Ann Shaklee Zickefoose. She died of Ovarian Cancer, after a 2 1⁄2 year valiant battle with the disease. She is survived by her sisters: She is also survived by her Aunt Helen Shaklee Sirios, and many other relatives and in-laws. Together, she and her husband have 14 surviving nieces and nephews, 27 great-nieces and nephews, and soon to be 8 great-great-nieces and nephews. Dr. Shaklee was a Denver Native. She was born to Rose Celia Acierno Shaklee and Robert Loree Shaklee at the former St. Luke’s Hospital in Denver. She was delivered by the same doctor, at the same hospital as her husband and her birth certificate was written by and documented by the same person as her husband’s. Roberta attended Smedley Elementary in North Denver (named after one of the pioneer dentists of Denver – John Smedley, the grandfather of one of Roberta’s referring Dentists, Dr. John V. Smedley). She also attended Denver’s Horace Mann Junior High, and Mapleton High School in Adams County. Her parents relocated to Thornton, CO before her sophomore year and much to her chagrin, she was unable to attend North High in Denver with all the kids she grew up with. After high school, Roberta continued her education and she completed over 14 years of College and University learning and training. She was a lifelong learner. Roberta worked in the field of dentistry for over 50 years. She began as a dental assistant in high school working for Dr. Dennis Ferraro (now deceased) in Thornton. Dr. Ferraro influenced Roberta to attend dental hygiene school, and she chose to attend Rangely Junior College in Northwestern Colorado (now Colorado Northwestern Community College). Dr. Ferraro and Roberta remained lifelong great friends and professional dental associates. After graduating Rangely, Roberta worked in the North Denver Area as a Dental Hygienist for several dentists. She was interested in periodontics, and she obtained a job working as a hygienist in the specialty periodontal dental practice of Dr. Ken Versman and Dr. Dennis Thompson. This is where she developed a love of periodontics. She left this practice to travel to Switzerland and ended up working in Basel, Switzerland at the Dental School for one of the most renowned periodontists in Europe, Dr. Klaus H. Rateitsehak. Dr. Rateitsehak wanted Roberta to attend dental school in Switzerland to become a dentist, but she opted to return to Denver (she didn’t believe she would do well with Organic Chemistry taught in German). On July 28, 1978, Roberta married Ed Hurry at the historic St. Elizabeth’s Church on the Auraria Campus. She had a wonderful wedding ceremony and a fun filled Italian Style Reception. Roberta’s gorgeous wedding dress was hand made by Ed’s Mother, who made over twenty wedding dresses for close friends during her later years, the last one being a dress for one of Roberta’s Dental School classmates. Roberta went back to college to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Hygiene Education from Colorado State College in Greeley (now the University of Northern Colorado). She attended UCLA (the University of Colorado between Lawrence and Arapahoe) to complete her pre-dental requirements, and met fellow students who have remained lifelong great friends. She attended dental school at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry (now Dental Medicine) and graduated Cum Laude. Roberta was chosen Alumna of the Year for The University of Colorado School of Dentistry in 2001. In 2013, she was recognized with the Dean’s Award presented annually at Graduation, for her long-time service to and support of the School of Dental Medicine. When Roberta graduated from Dental School, she maintained an independent general dentist practice at Dr. Ferraro’s office. She practiced general dentistry for approximately two years before applying to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio to attend a residency program in Periodontics. She maintained a separate household in San Antonio during her two year education, while her husband stayed in Denver to work and help support her education. In her last year at San Antonio, she won an Honorable Mention award in the annual American Academy of Periodontology– Balint Orban Memorial Competition for research she conducted during her residency. She also won Second Place in the Southwest Society of Periodontists-John Pritchard Award for Graduate Research. She graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio with a Certificate in Periodontics in 1990. Most recently Dr. Shaklee practiced Periodontics in Denver, Colorado, over a span of twenty years. She taught Graduate Periodontics on a part-time volunteer basis at The University of Colorado School of Dental Science. She was a Board Certified Periodontist, which was awarded when she earned her designation as a Diplomãte of the American Board of Periodontology, in 1993. After Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Dentistry Graduate Periodontal Program temporarily relocated their courses to the University of Colorado Dental School. Roberta served as a volunteer Clinical Professor during 2005-2006. Roberta was very proud of being a faculty member of the LSU Perio Review Course. She was a Lecturer and Examiner from 1999 to 2013 for this program sponsored by Louisiana State University Continuing Dental Education. She was very disappointed in not being physically able to participate in the 2014 session. She had authored several articles for various dental and dental hygiene publications. She lectured to many professional groups nationally and internationally, and to graduate periodontal students nationally along with her husband. She was selected as a Fellow in the International College of Dentists (FICD) and a Fellow in the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Dr. Shaklee was very active in organized dentistry. She was a member of the American Academy Of Periodontology, the American Dental Association, the Colorado Dental Association, the Rocky Mountain Society of Periodontists, the Southwest Society of Periodontists, the Western Society of Periodontists, and the Metropolitan Denver Dental Society. In the past Dr. Shaklee has held the position of President for the Rocky Mountain Society of Periodontists and she was also the first woman to hold the executive office of President for the Metropolitan Denver Dental Society; an organization which is over 100 years old. Dr. Shaklee was the second female periodontist to practice in the Denver Area. Additionally, Dr. Shaklee was a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Fraternity, which is a national dental honor society. Dr. Shaklee received a Scholarship from the American Academy of Periodontology to attend the Institute for Teaching and Learning in 2011. Dr. Shaklee was on the editorial board and served as “Ask the Expert” for ultrasonic instrumentation for Dimensions of Dental Hygiene Magazine. Her past committee memberships include: The Finance Committee, the Membership and Awards Committee, and the Continuing Education Oversight Committee for the American Academy of Periodontology. She was the Chair person for the Host Committee and the Woman Dentist Committee for the Metropolitan Denver Dental society. She held a position on the Advisory Board of the Community College of Denver School of Dental Hygiene. Roberta Shaklee was named one of America’s Best Dentists in America by her peers in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Researched and published by Woodward/White and 5280 Magazine, The Best Dentists in America was based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which over 9,680 leading dentists throughout the country voted on the abilities of other dentists. Voting was anonymous, and listings cannot be purchased for inclusion. Dr. Shaklee was a “Historian” member of History Colorado (formerly the Colorado Historical Society), a “Sustaining” member of Historic Denver (her husband is most likely the youngest living Charter Member of Historic Denver), and a member of Channel Six and Channel Twelve Public Television, Denver Art Museum, Denver Zoo, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Downtown Aquarium and a contributor to the Colorado Symphony and The Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Roberta loved the arts. Roberta requested immediate cremation without any viewing, and we honored this request. She planned her own memorial service (no surprises here) and she approved the venues we have picked out for the memorial service and the reception. The memorial and reception will be held on Sunday, September 28. The memorial service will start at 12 Noon and will be held at the Washington Park United Methodist Church at the corner of East Arizona Avenue and South Race Street (appox. 1199 So. Race St.). The reception will follow the service at a location to be announced at the memorial. If so inclined, the family requests guests bring one of their favorite desserts. The family requests no flowers be sent to our home, but for those so inclined, Roberta requested lots of fresh flowers at her funeral service. In lieu of flowers, Roberta wanted any gifts in her memory to be contributed to any of the following: • The Community College of Denver (CCD) Foundation, identified for the “Dr. Roberta L. Shaklee Periodontal Excellence Award” (care of Paige McEvoy, RDH, BS, at 4821 East Missouri Ave, Denver, CO 80246). This recognition will be awarded to an outstanding Dental Hygiene Student from the Community College of Denver, • The Denver Hospice (501 S. Cherry St, #700, Denver, CO 80246-1328), • History Colorado (1200 Broadway Denver, CO 80203), • Historic Denver (1420 Ogden St #202, Denver, CO 80218), • The Colorado Symphony (1000 14th St, Denver, CO 80202), • The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (1101 13th St. Denver, CO 80204). Dr. Shaklee will be missed by many, especially by her husband, relatives, in-laws, other dentists, her former employees, patients, and friends. Her husband and family thank everyone for their outpouring of support during this difficult time. May her soul rest in peace. If you would like to speak to her husband Ed, He can be reached by phone at home at 303-777-0701 or by cell at 720-231-3768, or Roberta’s cell at 720-231-8973, or of course by email at [email protected]