Contributor: Reginald Carter Former Chief and Program Director, Duke PA Program

I remember Dr. Stead saying to our students one time to "make the most of each day, learn something new, work hard and at the end of the day, go home and enjoy your wife."

It was PA Day, October 6th, a time to celebrate the day that the first formally trained physician assistants graduated from Duke University in 1967. It also happened to be Dr. Stead's 93rd birthday. As I pulled up to the entrance of the Washington Duke Inn, Dr. Stead and Evelyn were at the door waiting to be escorted to the Searle Center to help celebrate the program and profession that he helped establish. After the exchange of warm greetings, I open the doors to our van and Evelyn leaped into the back seat even though she had recently recovered from a fractured hip. I helped Dr. Stead to the front passenger seat, closed the door, walked around the front of the van and got in to drive.

I looked at Dr. Stead as we were about to drive away and apologized for driving a van which set high off the ground and took some effort to get into. He looked at me and said that his son-in-law had one of those SUVs, a Cherokee or something, and he kindly liked it. To my surprise and thinking of his and Evelyn's ages, I said "why?" Without hesitation he said, "Well you see, when Ms. Stead has to get into one of those cars, she has to hike up her dress to get in and I get a chance to see a little leg."

I looked in the rearview mirror and Ms. Stead was shaking her head, but with a smile on her face. I thought to myself. He is 93 today, and been married for I don't know how long, and he is still flirting with his wife.