A Retired Physician Leaves a Legacy

Many physicians have continued to have an impact on their world through the years after their retirement. One such 19th century doctor was very involved in county leadership after he came here in retirement, including serving as president of the Waco Medical Association, leader in the Texas Medical Association, and delegate from Waco to the AMA. This physician was a grandson of a Scottish immigrant, and born in North Carolina, January 8, 1824. He graduated from the University of New York, Medical Department, in 1851. After practicing in North Carolina for one year he and his brother came to Texas and settled in Austin County. He was involved as a leader of his county and state medical associations, was very successful in practice, retired in 1873 at the age of 49.

He moved to Waco for the remaining years of his life. He was a vice-president of Waco State Bank, a stockholder in Waco Cotton Mills and Waco Savings Bank, built a home on the corner of Eighth and Columbus streets, and owned several properties in and around the city. He was often heard to say he wanted the inscription on his grave stone to read, “Here lies a man who tried to do his duty.” He died in 1902 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Waco. In 1882, a town on the SW of McLennan County was founded on land owned by, and was named after Gregor Carmichael McGregor, M.D.

Sally Weaver, MD

Sally and her husband Joel came to Waco in 1996. She had finished her medical degree and her PhD in developmental neuroanatomy at University of Louisville in Kentucky. She was one of my residency classmates at the Family Health Center. Five from that ’99 class — Drs. Keith Boles, Mike Loden, Karl Trippe, Sally and I — still practice in Waco. She has been on teaching faculty at FHC since ’99 (that makes more than 220 new doctors she has taught), serves as director of research there, works part-time as a hospitalist at Providence Hospital, and maintains a small private family medicine with obstetrics practice.

Sally and Joel have three daughters, and they are all involved at Calvary Baptist Church, where Sally heads the Youth Committee and sits on their Coordinating Council. “My Christian faith is a large part of who I am and it propels me to continue to become a better person,” Sally says.

What work are you doing now?
“I am working on a research project with BU Dept of Public Health analyzing a large national database looking at children who are overweight or obese. We are hoping to publish work describing at what ages children of a certain ethnicity and/or regional location become obese. The intent is to help inform interventions to prevent obesity in children.” Also, “I am excited about Prosper Waco and other projects in town that are looking at what changes are best for the community and how to deal with poverty. We have a problem with hungry children in Waco — a problem that shouldn’t exist in this country.”

If there is one message you’d give to today’s physician, what would it be?
“Find a way to love what you do. We are fortunate to be part of a respected profession where we get to help people on a daily basis.”

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