Dr. Harry Warren Vinson

VINSON, BRUCE, SCULLY, WEIDEMANN, BRYSON, STEWART

Posted By: Debbie Truitt (email)
Date: 7/6/2017 at 17:56:04

Note: I have verified the date this obituary was published in the “Ottumwa Courier.” If anyone comes across it on the cds of Ottumwa obituaries, it was labeled incorrectly as being published April 6.

Obituary From “Ottumwa Courier,” Friday, April 8, 1949:

Heart Ailment Is Fatal To Dr. Harry Vinson, 73

The death early today of Dr. Harry W. Vinson, 73, prominent physician and surgeon, ended one of the most active community and professional careers of Ottumwa’s recently history.

Dr. Vinson’s interests were wide and varied, but through his 47 years as a doctor his chief concern was with the patients who depended upon him.

The hard work of obstetrics became a major interest of his professional life early in his career. There is no record of how many babies he assisted into the world, but the number runs into several thousand. In many cases he attended the second generation of patients.

Active In Music.

Ottumwa’s community life felt his active hand in a large number of activities. One interest in which he delighted was music. He participated in the musical activities of the Willard Street Methodist church over a period of many years. He was both a singer and an instrumentalist. Dr. Vinson took an active part in organizing Ottumwa Civic Music, and was a charger member and first vice president of the organization.

Other community activities in which he participated were the Kiwanis club, Chamber of Commerce, Modern Woodman, Masonic lodge, Knights Templar Shrine, and the Methodist church. He headed or held high offices in all of these during his career.

Professionally, he was active in the significant local associations. He served as medical director of Sunnyslope for several years, and was past president and for 17 years secretary of the Wapello County Medical society. He had been chief-of-staff of both the Ottumwa and St. Joseph hospital.

Life Member of A.C.S.

In 1922, Dr. Vinson was elected a life member of the American College of Surgeons. His other professional affiliations included the Iowa State Medical society, the Mississippi Valley Medical association, the American Medical association, the Tri-State Medical society, and the Des Moines Valley Medical society, which he served as president on year.

He was examining physician for draft board No. 1 during the first world war, and when the second world war began he served as chief physician for draft board No. 2, for Ottumwa.

Dr. Vinson was born in Aurora, Ind., March 2, 1876. His parents, John and Mary Bruce Vinson, brought him with them to Iowa in May of 1876. He was educated in Ottumwa schools, being graduated from high school with the class of 1893. He worked for John Morrell & Co. packing plant for three years, before going on to medical college.

He attended the University of Iowa medical college from 1898 to 1900, and transferred to Rush Medical college, Chicago. He was graduated from this institution in 1902. He studied summers in the office of Dr. D.C. Brockman in Ottumwa.

Married In 1903.

Dr. Vinson and Clara E. Scully were married in June 17, 1903. They continued in Ottumwa for a few months, but then moved to Millersburg, where Dr. Vinson practiced for five years. Much later in life he wrote a jolly collection of reminiscences of this five-year period as a county doctor.

He moved back to Ottumwa in 1908 to resume his practice, but before that he did postgraduate work at Polyclinic hospital in Chicago. From 1908 until his death, he continued his medical practice.

Mrs. Vinson preceded him in death, September 6, 1933. He continued to make his home at their residence, 204 East Pennsylvania avenue. Their daughter, Gwendolyn, wife of E.C. Weidemann of Wilmette, Ill., survives, as do two grandchildren, Stephen and Mary Clare Weidemann, and two sisters, Mrs. Alma Bryson of Ottumwa and Mrs. Carey Stewart, Burlington.

Early last winter Dr. Vinson suffered a heart attack. He was confined to the Ottumwa hospital for many weeks but recovered sufficiently to resume his work. He did not elect to live the less active life which his physical condition demanded. Monday of this week he suffered a second severe heart attack, and was again taken to the hospital. Death occurred at 1:30 a.m. today.

Funeral Tomorrow.

Funeral services have been set for 2 p.m. Saturday, at the First Methodist church. Dr. Vinson had requested that flowers not be sent, but persons who had wished to give flowers instead contribute to the American Heart association local drive, through Ralph Aanestad, or to the Ottumwa hospital building fund.

The body will remain at the Carroll Reece funeral home until 11:30 a.m. Saturday, when it will be taken to the church. The casket will be closed at the beginning of the service. The Rev. Everett Major of the Willard Street Methodist church and Rev. T.H. Leonard, D.D., of the First Methodist church, will be in charge of the services. Burial will be in Memorial Lawn cemetery. Pallbearers will be members of the Willard Street Methodist church. Honorary pallbearers will be all members of the Wapello County Medical society.