Featured Testimonial About Creighton University
Creighton's School of Dentistry has been blessed with many talented professors, but there is no doubt in my mind that my observations of Dr. Julius as a student influenced my approach as an instructor.
On June 6, 1944—D-Day—a young pilot named Loy Julius guided his aircraft across perilous skies, unaware that his courage that day would echo through history. Decades later, he became a beloved professor in the Creighton University School of Dentistry. Now, his name will inspire future generations through an endowed scholarship.
"A named scholarship is a powerful reflection of the values and vision of its donors,” says Jillian A. Wallen, BDS, MS, Dean of the School of Dentistry. “The Dr. Loy L. Julius Endowed Scholarship helps students achieve their dreams, and it carries forward Dr. Julius’s legacy. I am deeply grateful to Dr. John Julius for his generosity and for honoring his father in this way.”
Born in 1920 on a sharecropper farm in Iowa, Loy Julius overcame the hardships of the Great Depression, when his family often survived on little more than bread and water.
"I think the reason dad appreciated life so much was because of how hard it started for him,” says his son, Creighton alumnus John Julius, DDS’79. “When I learned about how he grew up, I could hardly believe it. But that upbringing fueled his determination. He was set on escaping that life, no matter what.”
When his family lost their farm and moved into town in search of work, Loy enrolled in high school and worked hard to graduate. Afterward, he hitchhiked across Iowa to attend college while working two jobs. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he joined the Army Air Corps in 1942.
Loy served as a combat pilot in over 65 missions, including D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Twelve Oak Leaf Clusters for his courage. But Loy remained humble, rarely speaking of his wartime experiences.
“His actions spoke for him,” John reflects. “His humility was refreshing and one of the many qualities that made him so extraordinary.”
After the war, Loy returned to Iowa to pursue dentistry through the G.I. Bill, embarking on a career that blended technical expertise with compassionate leadership. Over the course of 30 years in the U.S. Air Force, he achieved the rank of colonel and managed dental clinics across the Pacific. While in England, he met his future wife, Anne.
“Dad had an incredible talent for managing people—that's the best way to describe him,” says John. “He had a way about him that made you like and respect him. If discipline was necessary, he handled it fairly, and you knew it came from a place of integrity.”
Upon retiring from the military in 1974, Dr. Julius transitioned to academia, joining Creighton University as a professor of oral surgery at the encouragement of his former University of Iowa roommate, Robert Vining, DDS, who was then the dean of the School of Dentistry.
John, who graduated from the Creighton School of Dentistry in 1979, had the unique experience of being taught by his father for two years. He recalls how his peers would line up to be instructed by Dr. Julius in the clinic.
“He was, without a doubt, the kindest and most patient instructor I’ve ever known,” John says. “He taught me so much about oral surgery that, by the time I graduated, I felt as prepared as many first-year oral surgery trainees. Students would leave their sessions with him relieved and even smiling—he had this remarkable way of making them feel like oral surgeons after just their first or second extraction.”
During his Creighton tenure of more than a decade, Dr. Julius became a beloved mentor and teacher, earning seven Outstanding Instructor Awards and the Robert F. Kennedy Award.
Mark Markham, BA'75, DDS'79, was a classmate of John and a student of Dr. Julius during his D3 and D4 years. After 37 years of practicing in small-town Iowa, Dr. Markham brought his experience and wisdom to the Creighton School of Dentistry faculty. Recently retired, he reflected on his career and the impact Dr. Julius had on him.
“Creighton's School of Dentistry has been blessed with many talented professors, but there is no doubt in my mind that my observations of Dr. Julius as a student influenced my approach as an instructor. I truly miss working with the dental students, as well as my colleagues and staff.
"Dr. Julius was, and continues to be, a hero to many. I hope the recipients of his award deeply appreciate the sacrifices he made for his family and country and strive to honor his remarkable legacy.”
Dr. Loy L. Julius passed away in 2017 at the age of 96, survived by his wife, Anne, five children, including John, as well as his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In establishing the endowed scholarship in 2023, John honors his father and the profound impact he had on Creighton and its students.
“My dad was my hero. I wanted his name to be perpetuated in a meaningful way,” says John. “This scholarship is the least I could do to honor him for everything he did for me. He’s the reason I received the education that shaped my life and allowed me to have a wonderful career. It’s also my way of thanking Creighton.”
The scholarship’s first recipient, Patrick Geha, exemplifies the qualities Dr. Julius valued. Geha is a teaching assistant in the School of Dentistry, where he shares his passion for mentoring. He also completed a rotation at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Kansas City, providing care to underserved populations. After graduating in May, Geha will begin his Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center/Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas.
"I’ve always loved connecting with people, and the privilege of treating them is something I’ve always aspired to,” Geha says.
“At Creighton, dentistry is about more than fixing teeth—it’s about caring for the whole person. This approach has taught me the value of trust and rapport, which I consider one of my greatest achievements. My passion for oral surgery is real — it feels like my true calling and what I’m meant to do. That Dr. Julius believes in me has been a powerful source of inspiration."
