Page 38 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2018- Online Magazine

T.H. Doris Holmes

A Beloved Doctor

Looks Back

by Jane Bromley

est Texas is the backdrop During World War II, all young men
for many stories of great were drafted, but because T.H. had
Wlove expressed in service. been accepted to medical school, he
A particularly delightful one is was given an inactive commission.
the story of one of Lubbock’s most In June 1943, the Army Special
beloved pediatricians, Dr. T.H. Training Program (ASTP) was set
Holmes. His love for the children he up for medical and dental students.
cared for and their parents is widely He entered medical school as a 1956 and went to Houston Baylor to
remembered and appreciated. Private-First Class. “I graduated in earn his specialization.
1946, owing the Army two years, but
T.H. was named in honor of his they let me out to do an internship “We came to Lubbock in 1959, and
great grandfather, Civil War General at Harris Hospital. I was then I opened my pediatric practice first
Theophilus Hunter Holmes but was called back to active duty in 1947. at 34th and Flint, then 3610 34th,
given only initials to spare him the The Army sent me to Japan, and I and from 1965 until I retired in the
inconvenience of the burdensome worked for the military government Medical Professional Building at
name. He was born August 6, 1921, as a public health officer. We were 19th and Memphis. I shared an office
the second of three children, on a stationed in Prefecture (state) with my friend and colleague, Dr.
small farm outside capitals away from Gene Rankin. It’s hard to calculate
Ralls. His parents, the bases, living how many children we treated over
Theo and Betty in American-style the years, but it was roughly 40,000
Holmes, owned homes. My job in families . . . I loved pediatrics; you
the farm from 1922 Maebashi, Gunma never knew on any given day what
to 1986 when his was entirely was going to walk in the door.
mother died. T.H. administrative.” You might see a dozen well babies
graduated from for checkups, treat colds and sore
high school in Dr. Holmes throats or face a rare condition like
1939 and came to separated from leukemia. I loved my relationship
Texas Tech for 3 the Army in June with young moms and dads.”
1/2 years. 1949 as a captain
and came back to Going to the doctor can be painful
The serious Ralls as a General or frightening. Stitching cuts,
pre-Med student Practitioner. setting broken bones, and pumping
didn’t date much, “I discovered I stomachs are scary propositions for
but a student worked far better kids, but Dr. Holmes found that his
nurse caught his with children and prematurely bald head often got
eye when they young adults. I children to smile. “‘He’s just like
were both working at West Texas thoroughly enjoyed being a GP, Grandpa!’ they would often say.
Hospital in Lubbock. He left for but I did not want to do it all my Once when a child was strapped to a
medical school at the University life. What I really wanted to do was papoose board, he got an arm loose
of Tennessee College of Medicine work with children. I loved children, and hit me right on the top of the
in Memphis in February 1943 but and I loved helping their parents.” head. His mother was mortified, but
came home to marry Doris Carter in Because he needed more training, he when I laughed, she relaxed. It was
December. and Doris left his thriving practice in

38 Lubbock Senior Link