craigdailypress.com

MEEKER -- There isn't much these eyes haven't seen.

In 42 years as Rio Blanco County coroner and 35 years as a physician, David W. Eskelson has witnessed just about every human tragedy imaginable.

Eskelson, 78, is retiring from the coroner's position in January. He said he's satisfied with the work he's done.

"I had a ball. I think I'm probably the luckiest guy alive," he said. "I am so lucky to work in such a responsible job and feel like I did a good job."

Eskelson earned his undergraduate degree and medical doctorate from the University of Utah.

He served in the Navy from 1953 to 1955, traveling throughout the United States and to the Philippines.

He was a general practitioner in Sacramento, Calif., from 1955 until he moved to Meeker and opened a private practice in 1963.

In 1965, Rio Blanco County commissioners asked him to step in as coroner after a dispute led to the previous coroner's resignation.

In his tenure, Eskelson said he delivered about 5,000 babies in his private practice and emergency room work.

For one year, Eskelson said he was responsible for the medical care for all Rio Blanco County residents because he was the only physician in Meeker. There weren't any in Rangely.

But, medical problems crept up on the doctor. He began to experience three- to five-second lapses in awareness, and he decided it was time to give up his practice in 1990.

"I decided it was safer for me to retire than to put patients at risk," Eskelson said.

He decided to stay on as coroner because it was something he enjoyed and not something that would be affected by his condition.

"It kept me occupied and involved with the community," he said.

Eskelson said he considers himself lucky in his health, despite several brushes with death.

He has survived two cancers -- lung and bladder -- and a 1994 incident that left his leg pinned under the blade of a tractor for three or four hours. He had to crawl a 1/4 mile to his house to call for help.

In 2002, Eskelson experienced one of his lapses, and he drifted off the side of the road, nearly submerging his vehicle in a creek. He broke his arms, sternum and the critical C2 vertebrae.

"The cat with nine lives. I've already used five of them," Eskel--son said.

Eskelson also has seen death from another perspective. In four-plus decades as coroner, there's not much he hasn't seen.

One of the most troubling scenes he recalls is the strangulation of one of his former bookkeepers, which was done using a dishtowel.

He also recalls that at the start of his career, Rio Blanco County was considered a prime location for "accidental" deaths. He said mobsters from Chicago and New York City would use the hills of the county as the backdrop for what they set up to look like accidental hunting deaths.

But, he said he remedied that problem by creating a procedure for the coroner to follow in investigating unusual deaths.

He said he also began the cataloging system for DNA samples in Rio Blanco County.

Even with many disturbing fatalities, Eskelson said he as never been emotionally affected by his job.

"Had it affected me badly, it would have driven me out of town," he said.

But, it seems nothing is going to tear Eskelson away from the area, which he describes as ideal country for someone like him who enjoys hunting and snowmobiling.

"I'll stay here," Eskelson said. "This is my home."

In his retirement, he plans to lay back and enjoy spending time with his family.

Eskelson said he doesn't have any regrets.

Looking back on his career, he said, "It's been an interesting, fascinating thing."