EL DORADO, Kansas -- A crash on Highway 77 south of El Dorado Thursday killed a local doctor who loved his profession and his community.
A car hit Dr. Roger N. Joyce's bicycle from behind Thursday afternoon as he rode southbound on Highway 77.
His family, colleagues and patients are left dealing with what they call a tremendous loss.
"Total disbelief and it's just a tragedy that I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around, realizing he's not there," says Gary Robbins, Executive Director, Kansas Optometric Association.
He's one of the many colleagues and friends reacting after learning of Dr. Joyce's death.
"He enjoyed getting away and getting some exercise and relaxation on his bicycle," remembers Robbins.
The Kansas Highway Patrol crash report indicates Dr. Joyce was riding his bicycle in the right lane when a car came up and hit him from behind.
Dr. Joyce was thrown from his bike and died at the scene.
"When you're driving you have to drive defensively and give the cyclist the right of way," says Michael Scanga, owner of the Bicycle X-Change Shops and a bike safety expert.
He says defensive riding and visibility are the best ways for cyclists to protect themselves.
He also has more advice for drivers.
"Just think of it as a car. Give it its own lane. Give it a far lane over. When you pass it, don't push it in the same lane, get in another lane to pass the bicyclist," says Scanga.
In practice with his brother at Drs. Joyce and Joyce in El Dorado, colleagues say Dr. Roger Joyce did more than just spend his days at the office.
"He was also actively involved in our vision learning research, helping identify vision problems in school children that were causing problems with reading," says Robbins.
A dedicated Rotarian, a teacher of diabetes education classes at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital, Doctor Joyce loved El Dorado.
"He will be missed both in his community and by our board, he's going to leave a void for awhile and it's going to take awhile for us to fill," says Robbins.
Doctor Joyce won numerous awards from many community groups and was voted Kansas Young Optometrist of the Year in 1995.
He leaves behind his wife Luci and two children - Thomas and Kayla.
