PLACE, Thomas L., Dr. 1930-2011

PLACE, HANAWALT, MILLER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/30/2011 at 11:59:18

OSAGE, IOWA - Thomas L. Place, M.D., 80, of Osage, died Tuesday, March 29, 2011, at his home near Osage.

According to Tom's wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be no services.

Tom was born April 27, 1930, in Janesville, the son of Earl and Hazel (Hanawalt) Place. He grew up on rented farms in Bremer and Butler counties. He graduated from Shell Rock High School in 1947 and from Iowa State Teacher's College (now UNI) in 1953 with a Bachelor's degree and in 1956 with a Master's degree. After graduation, he taught high school science at Humboldt, Davenport and Vinton.

Tom married Beverly Miller, a registered nurse, in 1950, in Waterloo, and had three children, Sonja, Scott and Mark. In 1964, he received an M.D. degree from the University of Iowa. After completing a rotating internship at Broadlawns Hospital in Des Moines, he came to Osage on July 1, 1965, and joined Doctors Eiel, Spencer, Isham and Crossley at the Osage Medical Group.

A significant factor in choosing Osage was the hospital. Mitchell County Memorial Hospital had an excellent reputation at that time. Through the years, other doctors came to join the group, including Dr. Boeke, who he had known while in Davenport where they were neighbors.

Dr. Place said, "Although I had other opportunities through the years, I never seriously considered leaving Osage. My years of practice here were very rewarding."

Tom is survived by Beverly Miller Place of Osage; his children, Sonja (Darryl) Linzy of Tidewater, Ore., M. Scott (Deb) Place of Vancouver, Wash., Mark A. (Janet) Place of Minneapolis, Minn.; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; three sisters, Evelyn Elliott of Waverly, Delores (Robert) Kraai of Vancouver, Wash., Dianne Nagen (special friend, Gordon Carolus) of Waverly; a brother, Don (Barbara) Place of Gresham, Ore.; a special aunt, Verna Place of Janesville; a special cousin, Helen Gallup of Fairbank; and his dog, Kattie.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers-in-law, Raymond Elliott and Dave Nagen.
Information available and condolences accepted at www.champion-bucheitfuneralhome.com
Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage. (641) 732-3706.

[ Globe Gazette online, March 30, 2011 -- www.globegazette.com ]