Bobbie Leon Gosser

Bobby Leon Gosser of North Little Rock, AR went to be with his Lord and Savior early Wednesday morning August 14, 2013 from complications of a stroke. He was known as Bob to his friends and Papa Doc by his 15 grandchildren. He was retired from pediatric practice of the North Little Rock Pediatric Clinic and Chief of Medical Affairs of Baptist Hospital since 1995. He was born March 9, 1933 in Little Rock, Ark. to the late Thomo Leon Gosser and Anna Laverne (Oholendt) Gosser of Little Rock, Ark. He was preceded in death by his sister, Joan Gosser, of Marvell, Ark. He is survived by beloved wife of 58 years, Marianne (Morrisett) Gosser of North Little Rock, Ark. and five children, Jenny (Gosser) Turner, Bobby Leon Gosser Jr. and wife Donna and Leigh Anna (Gosser) Askins and husband Jonathan all of North Little Rock, Ark., John Mark Gosser and wife Glenda of Coppell, Texas and April Elizabeth (Gosser) Cook and husband Jared of Conway, Ark.; 15 grandchildren, Abby, Molly Anne and Laura Leigh Turner, Trey, Alex and McKenzie Gosser, J.J. and Jessica Askins all of North Little Rock, Megan, Gretchen and John Mark of Coppell, TX and Maleah and Adien Cook, Anna and Ava Weeks of Conway, Ark.; two nieces Janet (Bates) Ligon of Marvell, Ark. and Claudia (Morrisett) Colvin of Apple Valley, Calif. and one nephew, Rob Bates of Longview, Texas and many cousins. Bob is a 1951 graduate of Little Rock Central High School. He attended Hendrix College and served in the United States Navy as a Dental Technician He graduate from Ouachita Baptist University in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science Degree and later graduated from the University of Arkansas Medical School in 1961. He completed his Pediatric Residency in 1963 at the University of Oklahoma Medical School. Bob was an active member of Second Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR from cradle roll until present where he served as an ordained deacon and as the director of Youth, Young Marrieds and Adult Sunday School Classes. He also served on the church's finance committee and Lake Nixon Boards. Dr. Gosser taught his family how important it is to give back to his community by example with his service through the North Little Rock Rotary Club, Boys & Girls Club and YMCA as well as serving as President for all three. He was also active in soliciting physicians to give physicals to the NLR School District Athletics and served on a committee of three to redistrict the voting awards of the City of North Little Rock. After retirement Bob was still very active serving the community and his church. He started the Willing Hands at Second Baptist Church to help the home bound, helped build for Habitat for Humanities, made mission trips to the Baptist Seminary in Canada to help build dormitories, served at the Stew Pot for many years and rang the bell for Salvation Army. A celebration of Dr. Gosser's life will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, August 16, 2013 at Second Baptist Church, 222 East 8th Street in Little Rock, Arkansas with Dr. Ray Higgins, Dr. Preston Clegg and Dr. James Thomason officiating. The visitation will be 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday evening, August 15, 2013 at the Griffin Leggett Healey and Roth Funeral Home on 12th Street in Little Rock, Ark. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dr. Gosser's memory to Second Baptist Church, Ouachita Baptist University and Baptist Hospital Foundation.