Dr. Walter Chase, Article, 1980
Jefferson Herald, October 30, 1980
(Doc Chase also sent this article to the Rippey Library to be shared with the community.)
Former Rippey Doctor Recalls Early Practice
The following clipping taken from the New-Sun., published in Sun City, AZ, on Oct 4, 1980, was submitted to the Rippey postmaster, who in turn gave it to the Rippey reporter, related to the Sun City news columnist by Dr. Walter Chase “Lanterns Lighted Doctor’s Way”—It was a glorious July morning in 1933 when I opened my office for general practice in Rippey, Iowa (population 350) The race between the time it took to prepare and the money I had to invest in this project was almost a draw. I won with the largest $5 bill ever printed, left in my most secure pocket.
In 1928 I entered Washington University in St Louis. I was going to be an electrical engineer. After one year, I knew it had to be medicine. I wanted to get my training here because it ranked fifth in the United States. I had to work my way through school, and with St. Louis being my home town, I knew best where to seek part-time employment.
Every minute of my pre-med years was planned ahead. I had to earn money to live and study hard to receive grades sufficiently high to qualify for acceptance into medical school. I met the challenge and interned at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines.
My lovely, dedicated wife, the former Pearl Henry of Van Meter, Iowa, was in her senior year in nurses’ training during my internship. We were married at the end of our training, July 31, 1933. The office we rented for $15 per month had been vacant for some time. It required hard, fast work before any opening date could be announced. It consisted of a small entrance area, drug room and treatment room. We obtained our water from a pump next door. The toilets were of “Maggie and Jiggs” era.
Our office hours were 9 to noon and 2 to 5 p.m. on week days and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday. We made house calls before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m., except for emergencies. These were accepted anytime.
I kept the drug room stocked and my charge was only for the drugs dispensed. Our gross income for the last portion of 1933 was $1,024 and for the entire year of 1934 it was $2,000. We bought a home for $1,800 at five percent interest. After 10 years of practice we had advanced our office charge for each visit to $2 plus drugs and $3 plus drugs for a night call. Medical progress was evidenced when the Greene County Hospital was opened in Jefferson, Iowa in 1939. It received patients from the farms and small towns in our area. Babies were delivered at home prior to the opening of the hospital. Many a bed was converted into a makeshift delivery table.
We are the parents of two sons and one daughter. Pearl asked me to deliver our children. I was very proud of the confidence she placed in my ability. Today, our family has increased by six grandchildren.
When Pearl and I were married, I owned a 1930 Model A Ford. No car could have battled the mud, blizzards and snowdrifts as well as a Model A. However, there were times when a farmer had to pick me up in his bobsled. On several of these occasions we drove on top of deep drifts that were higher than the fences. A blinding blizzard was the most dangerous hazard. It could be combated only by walking to get to my call. In this case, neighbors lighted lanterns to mark the way for me. Driving on mud roads was a slippery, sliding ordeal. But on frozen roads it was a tire-cutting, vertebrae-fracturing peril.
I practiced medicine in Rippey for 33 years. The University of Northern Iowa at Cedar Falls was in need of an associate director of student health, so I accepted the position. After five years, I became the director. We retired in 1973 to this beautiful sunshine city of Sun City.
Chase, Walter E. died 17 Nov 2001
Dr. Walter E. Chase, 94, a resident of Heritage House in Atlantic, Iowa, passed away Saturday evening, November 17, 2001, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital.The son of William Harrison and Edna Mae (Pingrey) Chase, Dr. Chase was born July 7, 1907 in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned undergraduate and M.D. degrees from Washington University in St. Louis. He interned at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa where he met his first wife Elsie Pearl Henry. They were united in marriage on July 1, 1933 in Winterset, Iowa. Dr. Chase was engaged in private practice of medicine in Rippey, Iowa for thirty-three years with Elsie as his nurse. He left Rippey in 1966 to become a physician at the student health service at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls serving as Director for two years. Dr. Chase retired July 1, 1973 and moved to Sun City, Arizona where he lived until 1998. Elsie passed away in 1986 and in 1989 he married Helen Patrick. She died in 1997. He moved to Atlantic in 1998 and became a resident of Heritage House. Dr. Chase was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Atlantic. He had been a member of the Lions Club and the Masonic Lodge and had served in several professional organizations when he was a practicing physician. He enjoyed music, reading and following the stock market. Surviving are one daughter Dolores Jeanne Ramirez and husband Gene of Des Moines, Iowa; two sons, James Paul Chase of Sunnyvale, California and David Warren Chase and wife Barbara of Atlantic, Iowa; six grandchildren, Anthony (Tony) Ramirez of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, Mary Kathleen (Kathy) O’Hara and husband Michael of Tucson, Arizona, Dianne Ramirez, Steven Ramirez, Julie Luncsford, all of Des Moines and Denise Maifield and husband Matthew of Round Lake, Illinois; eight great-grandchildren, Anthony Cross of Des Moines, Heather O’Hara of Tucson, Maria Cross of Des Moines, Justin O’Hara of Tucson, Joshua Williams of Des Moines, Sean Luncsford of Des Moines, Ashlyn and Chase Maifield, both of Round Lake; one stepdaughter Carol Deiso and husband James of Owings, Maryland; one stepson Thomas Patrick and wife Mary Jo of Phoenix, Arizona. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Helen Chase and Dorothy Lynas; one brother Clarence Chase; his first wife Elsie and his second wife Helen. Funeral Information: Services for Walter will be held on Wednesday, November 21, 2001, at 10:30 AM at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic with Rev. Tompsie Smith officiating. Interment of the cremated remains will be held at a later date at the Rippey Cemetery northwest of Perry, Iowa.
Chase, Pearl obituary
Jefferson Bee, July 22, 1986
Memorial services for Pearl E. Chase, of Sun City, AZ, were held Friday, July 11, from First Presbyterian Church in Logan, UT. The Rev Miner E Bruner officiated.
Mrs. Chase died Tuesday, July 8 in their apartment a t Logan, UT, following a sudden illness.
Pearl E Henry Chase was born June 3, 1910, at Van Meter, IA, the daughter of William H. and Florence Mae Lanning Henry.
She lived at Rippey for 33 years, Cedar Falls for seven years, Sun City for 13 years, and has spent the past nine summers a t Logan.
She married Walter E. Chase on July 1, 1933, at Winterset. She assisted her husband as a registered nurse in his medical practice. She was a member of the Methodist Church and directed the choir at Rippey for 33 years. She was a past member of Eastern Star.
Survivors include her husband of Sun City; two sons, James Paul Chase of Sunnyvale, CA, and David W Chase of Atlantic, one daughter, Dolores (Mrs Gene) Ramirez of Des Moines; six grandchildren; four great grandchildren, and one sister, Marie (Mrs Foster) Mohney of Sun City.