August 29, 1948 – September 22, 2022

We are saddened to announce that our friend and colleague, Dr. John Demshar, passed away on September 22. John was one of the original partners here at Brookside Optometric Group, and was a vital part of this practice until his retirement in 2019. Since his retirement, he devoted himself fully to his many charitable endeavors, as well as maintaining his connections with his fellow doctors, our staff, and his beloved patients here at Brookside. We have been honored to support his work with Lions in Sight, the Flying Samaritans, his annual Summerfest fundraiser, and the many other causes that he was involved with.

My area of specialty is pediatrics. I love working with children! During my rotations in Optometry School, I discovered that it takes different skills and techniques to work effectively with children. Working with kids felt natural to me, and I felt I could make a difference by providing the highest quality vision care for children.

The most rewarding part of my job is getting to know families, providing them with clear eyesight, and being able to offer education on how to maintain good eye health. I enjoy building relationships and being able to watch as families grow over the years.

I have been in practice at Brookside for more than 30 years, along with my husband and partner Dr. Kurt Skinner. The most meaningful part of my work are the relationships I have developed with my patients throughout my practice.

I really enjoy working with children and their parents, and the opportunity to help them understand what their child’s vision is like and what the future can hold for them. It’s important for me to get the parents to realize the visual process and why it’s important to have the child wear their glasses or follow my instructions for the best long-term outcome (and what the possible outcomes can be if they don’t!).

Dr. Bob Melrose remembers sitting in his pediatrician’s office one day as a child and deciding that he wanted to become a doctor. After graduating from high school in the Bay Area, he completed his undergraduate studies at UCLA and UC Berkeley before beginning his optometry training in 1978 at Cal’s School of Optometry.  As luck would have it, he met another student in his class, Rosemary Rodic. The two of them fell in love and were married in 1981. After graduation they joined Dr. Craig Hisaka as partners in private practice here in Stockton. In addition to their practice, Dr. Bob and Dr. Rosie both become assistant clinical professors at Cal’s School of Optometry. They taught there until the early 1990s when the birth of their twin boys, Brian and Kevin, changed their lives forever. Dr. Rosie ended her teaching career to raise their children while continuing to practice at...