Lawrence A. Dils, M.D.

Dr. Lawrence Albert “Pete” Dils, 86, of Granville, Ohio passed away peacefully early Thursday morning, March 30, at Otterbein senior living community in his long-time and beloved hometown of Granville Ohio.  

He was a dedicated family man, an outstanding physician, a natural teacher and a kind-hearted person. He gave much of himself to serving his community but he always felt that he received much more in return.

Pete was born March 27th, 1937 in Reading, near Cincinnati Ohio, the oldest of two children to the late Hilda and Joseph Dils. After graduating from Reading High School, he married his high school sweetheart, the late Grace Shaffer, and graduated from Miami University in 1959. He attended the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine where he was granted his M.D. in 1963. He joined the United States Air Force as a Captain and Flight Surgeon and was stationed in Big Springs, Texas. After leaving the Air Force in 1966, Pete and Grace moved to Granville and raised their four children – Tracey, Doug, Becky, and Ben.  After his wife’s passing, Pete was remarried in 1991 to the late Mary Pearson.

Pete practiced family medicine for over 50 years in Licking County and surrounding communities. His small town, caring approach to practicing medicine led to many house calls! He served as Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH) Chief of Staff and was chosen as the Ohio Outstanding Team Physician in 1991. Pete received many formal awards during his professional career including a lifetime achievement award from LMH. He was also recognized in numerous ways for his excellence in diagnostic medicine, hospital administration, and the volunteering of his services. His most cherished honor, however, was to serve his community and provide medical and comfort care for countless people.

In addition to practicing medicine, Pete was an avid sports fan and participant. Over the years, he volunteered as team physician for many Granville athletic teams and in 2023 was inducted into the Granville Sports Hall of Fame. His passion for sports and the outdoors found him spending much of his free time playing tennis, ruling the paddle court with his slice, and organizing travel adventures like whitewater rafting with his family. He was also a dedicated and astute photographer as exhibited by his thousands of photos of colorful birds, old barns and smiling patients.     

A Celebration of Life for Pete will be held from 3-7 pm Friday, April 28th at the Granville Inn, 314 E. Broadway in Granville. Family and friends are invited to stop by this informal gathering whenever convenient to share anecdotes, classic “Pete Jokes,” and favorite memories of Pete’s amazing life. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to OhioCAN Newark Homeless Outreach at: http://www.ohiocanchangeaddictionnow.org/projects/newarkhomelessoutreach/

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