Dr. Karl Lee Manders, age 94, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday April 11, 2021 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. Dr. Karl Manders is survived by the love of his life of 52 years, his wife Ann Manders, his daughters Maidena Fulford (Wade), Karlanna Butler, his children from a previous marriage: Karl (Kathy), Kristine Myers (Dean), Kerry, his grand-children Elaina, Kelsea, Sydney, Hannah, Jenna, Brooke, Kristen, Jennifer, Karl Daniel, Jacob, Deana, Susan, five great grand-children and his cat Milo.

Dr. Karl Manders loved to travel, scuba dive, golf and play tennis. He enjoyed the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Lyric Opera, Dance Kaleidoscope and the AAA Rochester Redwings baseball team of which he was a member of the knothole club when he was a child. Dr. Manders always had a zest for life and lived in it to the fullest. He was an active and involved father, grandfather and citizen of the world. Dr. Karl Manders will always be remembered for his wit, intelligence, forward thinking and being a man ahead of his time. He was a practicing neurosurgeon for over fifty years.

He was born in Rochester, New York on January 21, 1927 to the late Dr. David Bert and Francis Edna (Cohen) Mendelson. Dr. Karl Manders was raised in Rochester, New York and graduated from Monroe High School in 1944. He attended Cornell University and graduated in 1946.

Dr. Manders attended the University of Buffalo School of Medicine in 1946 and graduated in 1950. Dr. Manders began his surgical internship and neurosurgical surgery residency at the University of Virginia 1950-1952. The Korean War interrupted his neurosurgical residency. Dr. Manders served in the United States Navy from 1952-1954 and received the Korean Conflict and 6th Fleet Medals. Dr. Manders also served at the Bethesda Naval Hospital as a Neurosurgical Ward Officer aboard the USS Juneau in the 6th fleet and the USS Rankin in the Amphibious Fleet in the Caribbean. Dr. Manders completed training at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI from 1954-1956.

Dr. Manders was a pioneer in chronic pain management and opened the first pain center in the state of Indiana in 1973. His goal was to get chronic pain patients off medication and to give them the skills to cope with pain in a holistic way. Dr. Manders brought the first hyperbaric chamber to Indiana and served as Marion County Coroner in Indianapolis for twelve years. Dr. Manders continued interest in forensic medicine developed into a medical-legal consultation practice. Dr. Manders was the Chief of Medical and Surgical Neurology at Community Hospitals, Indianapolis, Indiana in 1977, 1983 and 1993.

Dr. Manders was an accomplished, well respected surgeon and received the following awards and elections throughout his career: James A. Gibson Anatomical Society, Diplomat; National Board of Medical Examiners; James McClure Surgical Society, Diplomat; American Board of Neurological Surgery, Certificate of Achievement, Department of the Army, President Indiana Coroner’s Association, Diplomat in Clinical Biofeedback, Executive Council, Indiana Biofeedback Society, Editorial Review Board, Journal of Pain Management, Professional Advisory Council, American Board of Medical Psychotherapists, President, Midwest Pain Society, Diplomate, American Board of Hyperbaric Medicine, Marion County Coroner, City of Indianapolis, Diplomat, American Board of Pain Management, Distinguished Physician Award, Community Hospitals Indianapolis, Certificate of Distinction, Indiana State Medical Association, America’s Top Surgeon Award, Consumers Research Council of America.

Dr. Manders had several publications, “The Surgical Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and Other Involuntary Movement,” “Relief of So-Called Psychosomatic Headache with Cervical Fusion,” “Recurrent Brain Abscess Due to Unusual Foreign Body – A Case Report,” The Treatment of Chronic Pain,” “Treatment of Chronic Pain in the Community Hospital Rehabilitation Center for Pain,” “Contemporary Indications for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy,” “Head Injury-Coma Arousal Center,” “Lumbar Disorders: When and When Not to Operate.”

There are no memorial services planned at this time. Please send any memorial contributions to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in Dr. Manders’ name.