In Memoriam of Robert “Bob” Spegal
On November 3, 2021, the people of Micronesia, and the COM-FSM family, lost a champion of health and human rights. Robert “Bob” Spegal, sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, sometimes even grumpy, but always and at all times giver of his utmost dedication to his students, fellow teachers, staff, and all Micronesians in his dedication to the betterment of the health and wellbeing of the region, quietly passed away surrounded by family and friends in South Carolina. Bob’s was a life well-lived in over forty-six years in Micronesia. Having first come to the islands as a Peace Corp volunteer in 1975, mastering the Pohnpeian language as if a local, falling in love, and never again leaving except for short periods of time.
Originally from Philadelphia in the eastern US, Bob completed his undergraduate studies at Albright College, and at Edinboro State College, both in Pennsylvania. He earned a MPH degree from the University of Hawaii in 1999 and has also received an honorary Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from the Fiji School of Medicine in recognition of this outstanding service to that program which continues to influence the region to this day.
Bob’s love for the Micronesian people and culture went beyond merely health matters. He believed strongly in maintaining the cultural identity of the Micronesian people. In so doing, he established a small trading business that exported Micronesian handicrafts to Hawaii and other locations as a means of celebrating the culture of the region, as well as a sustainable business opportunity for local craftspeople.
To many of us he was more than just a colleague. He was a friend, mentor, and patient father figure who was with us in good times, when programs were running smoothly, as well as difficult times. And whether those difficult times were related to work or personal issues, we knew that we could rely on Bob to stand by us with his unique blend of optimism and pragmatism for the future. His was a life well-lived, and we shall not soon see his likes again. He will not be forgotten as an individual nor as a force for good in shaping the health security of all of Micronesia through his many efforts at the College and beyond.
Bob had a long, varied, and illustrious career as a champion of health in the region. His many activities continue to influence those whom he directly worked with, as well as countless thousands who never met him, but have been touched by his organizational and educational efforts.
From 1988-1996, Bob was the Fiscal Officer and Administrative Assistant for the Pacific Basin Medical Officers Training Program (PBMOTP). The PBMOTP was a five-year physician training program that trained 70 Micronesian and American Samoa physicians who all remained within the U.S. Associated Pacific Islands. Bob was responsible for meticulously administering a multi-million-dollar budget during his years of service at the PBMOTP. The PBMOTP was reviewed by the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 1998 and was labeled as a “remarkable program” in no small part thanks to Bob’s administrative efforts.
In 1997, he established and became the director of the Micronesia Human Resource Development Center, an FSM chartered non-government organization addressing regional health matters including: telemedicine, human resources capacity building, environmental protection efforts, and several prevention programs that have focused primarily on diabetes, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
A longtime fixture as a professor at COM-FSM, Bob was involved in some of the College’s most exciting programs right from the start. He was a longtime faculty member in the Public Health Training Program (PHTP) where he brought his decades of practical experience to bear in preparing the next generation of public health practitioners and leaders. He was much loved by his students who always knew him as an advocate to help them succeed. Whether patiently tutoring a student in his office, or even holding a retake examination for a student, Bob was always in their corner. But that did not mean Bob was an easy teacher; he demanded excellence from his students, believing that they were capable of great things. The dedication of this humble man was repaid ten-fold by their love for him and they rose to the challenges he put before them, with many a current doctor, nurse, public health practitioner, and more across the region owing Bob the thanks for their success.
One of Bob’s crowning achievements was to serve as a founder (2016) and program manager for the COM-FSM Doctors and Dentists for Tomorrow (DDFT). Bob established DDFT in association with his long-time friend Dr. Greg Dever, who is also well-known in Micronesia and beyond for his tireless efforts to provide a sustainable supply of healthcare providers to the region, as well as Karen Simion, Interim President of COM-FSM, and staunch supporter of education in the region. As program manager, Bob also worked with Dr. Paul Dacanay and Dr. Brian Mangum who were often times fondly referred to by Bob as his “sons” as they listened to “Pa” recount tales of life in Micronesia, or even his life growing up in Philadelphia.
The DDFT program, which is currently preparing to graduate its fifth class of students, has been highly successful in placing Micronesian students into medical and allied health programs at universities in Fiji. Several of these former DDFT students and tutors are now preparing to graduate as full physicians who will return to practice in Micronesia in the coming years thus carrying on the work that Bob began.
In fact, right up until his death this month, Bob continued to serve as the DDFT program manager and English instructor, expressing great sadness when his illness made it increasingly difficult to fulfill the duties he loved.
In addition to the above, Bob’s remarkable list of former positions that have influenced the lives of Micronesians, and which span his over four decades calling Pohnpei home, included: high school teacher, Resident Director of the Pohnpei Upward Bound program, FSM National Health Planner/Coordinator for several US and WHO supported health-related programs, Pohnpei State Assistant to the Governor for coordination of External Assistance Programs, Director of the Pohnpei State Department of Health Services from 1998 to 2000, and CEO/Administrator for the 5th and 8th Micronesian Games in Pohnpei in 2002 and 2014. During 2013 Bob was employed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer.
A father figure, a friend, a colleague, a champion of people and healthcare in the region. Your humor, non-stop talking, and that smile that could light up the room forever will be missed, but never forgotten, Bob.
